Borderlands: Heart of Pandora
by DragonSeer
Summary: With his reign secured and the names Hyperion and Pandora intertwined, Handsome Jack can finally turn his attention to expanding his company's influence. However, company politics can bring a host of complications, and some hit close to home...
1. Prologue

Author's Note: Welcome to Borderlands: Heart of Pandora! I couldn't wait until August to start, so here it is! Updates will be the 1st and 15th.

For those of you returning, I hope you enjoy the new adventure of our favorite megalomaniac tyrant! For those of you clicking this link to check it out, please be aware, this is a sequel. I highly, highly recommend you go read Borderlands: Hero of Pandora first. This story follows the prior one's continuity. Please find it in my published stories list.)

(And then ignore the much older stories that seriously need an update...)

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"It is not the fate of the hero to live a quiet, withdrawn life," the boy began, his voice pitched low in that way that every storyteller started their craft. "Almost two months had passed since Handsome Jack had retrieved the Vault Key and protected his reign, and while that break had treated him well, it was only a matter of time before new challenges arose to confront him…"

"Now, hang on a minute!" Marcus interrupted. "First, really? You're going to make me listen to more of this nonsense? Second, only two months of downtime? That's an awfully short time between stories."

"The Vault Hunters barely take a break between their adventures," the boy protested. "You don't think Handsome Jack would keep himself busy?"

"I think he should be kept six feet under where he belongs," the munitions merchant replied in a grumble.

"Mr. Marcus…" the young girl sitting near them began, her tone disapproving. Marcus frowned at her.

"I told you not to encourage him," Marcus retorted.

"I want to hear more!" she replied. The merchant rolled his eyes.

"I never should have taken that bet…"

"Almost two months had passed," the boy began again.

"Man, you're persistent," Marcus sighed.

"Opportunity was whole enough to host its populace once more, though remainders of the battle still marred its glorious silhouette…"

"The only thing that would make Opportunity glorious is its burning wreckage."

"Mr. Marcus!" The boy huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. The merchant laughed and shrugged.

"I already know I'm not going to like this story. You haven't caught my interest, kid, and you aren't going—"

"The rattatat of the combat rifle echoed in the hot air, its snarl of ammunition intermixing with the cries of the angry rakks," the girl broke in abruptly. Both boy and man looked over at her sharply, Marcus with a crooked eyebrow, the boy in surprise.

"The beasts clouded the skies, diving around the wounded rakk hive who howled in pain-induced fear and agony," the girl continued.

"Oh, _she's_ telling the story now?" Marcus asked with a chuckle. "Ok, I'll bite. Let's see where you're going with this."

"Jack smiled in dark triumph as a blast of light exploded from the muzzle of his cannon, tearing a hole through the horde of animals…"


	2. Chapter 01

"See what you get to look forward to?" Hyperion's president said with a laugh, swiftly changing the focus of his aim and shooting several more blasts that burned through angry rakks. Two soft chimes came from the power packs neatly tucked along his upper forearms, letting him know he only had a few overcharged shots left before they needed a moment to recharge.

"This is ridiculous!" Michael Sampson protested, ducking under a dive bombing rakk and firing a black and yellow painted S&S combat rifle. "Why do you live here?!"

Jack grinned. "It keeps you on your toes!"

Michael shook his head and fired on the rakks that flew passed him.

"You're crazy!"

"No, just easily bored! See what we're dealing with here? Vicious animals, bandits that come out of the woodwork at the oddest time… You can see why we need your expertise!"

"I'm not going to lie," Michael said, letting out a strained chuckle, "this is the oddest interview I've ever had."

"Engaging target," a monotone voice announced as a heavy duty WAR loader landed near them and then turned its focus on the rakk hive. It quickly began closing the distance, joining a veritable army of loaders already surrounding the beast.

"To be fair," Jack responded dryly, "I hadn't intended for this interview to include putting down a wounded rakk hive…"

About twenty minutes prior, the day's events had been much more mundane and far less exciting—Jack had invited the surviving former CEO of the S&S Munitions company to come visit Pandora and consider adding his knowledge and skill to Hyperion's resources. The president had arranged to meet Michael at a small Hyperion town so that he could tour the visiting gunsmith through grander and grander sights until they arrived at Opportunity, but all those plans had been thrown to the winds when an angry rakk hive had come at full speed bearing down on the town. Being the Hero of Pandora and the leader of Hyperion, Jack had immediately contacted Helios to send down loaders to intercede and then gone straight into battle to protect the townsfolk. To his surprise, his visitor had followed right after him, expressing how perturbed he was to being greeted in such a way, but quick to respond to the danger that loomed.

The rakk hive was not the biggest one Jack had ever seen, but like any of Pandora's fauna, it was destruction and death walking. The beast was four legged and towered somewhere above thirty feet, fairly small for a rakk hive, and only one of its four eyes remained intact. The creature had arrived that way, along with lacerations that oozed blood, its wounds telling a story of bandits incapable of finishing a job they started. The beast was crazed with pain and was no more or less dangerous than any preventable act of nature, but the rakks that lunged out of the holes along its back were the most immediately detrimental to the local populace. It was that threat that Jack had leapt to stymie, and his prospective employee's instant support and assistance only made the president surer of his intent to bring the former gunsmith aboard.

"I will say," Michael stated, shifting positions with Hyperion's president as he tracked a sizeable rakk, "Curtis would have loved this."

"From the aspect of being a rival company, I'm not going to shed a tear that S&S folded, but you do have my sympathy about your partner's passing," Jack said apologetically. Michael's lips curled into a sad smile.

"I'm sure he would have appreciated the way he went," the former CEO replied.

Across the way, the rakk hive roared and began charging blindly, slamming through the myriad of loaders attacking it. Jack tapped his Echo irritably as dozens of cries went up from the stampeded robots.

"Hey, got anything more heavy duty than the loaders up there?" the masked man demanded. "This is really dragging out." He stepped back quickly as a rakk attempted to collide with his head. A moment later, a low howl of an object hurtling toward them began and swelled up into a roar as a moonshot crate plunged toward them. The crate slammed into the rakk hive with a resounding crash, smashing it into and along the ground, decimating it as well as half a dozen loaders. Jack and Michael watched the crate slide through the dirt, remnants of the hive still stuck to the impacting face of it like a bug on a windshield.

"Well, that works," Hyperion's president acknowledged.

"That was some precise aiming," Michael observed with a chuckle. A cheer went up from the townsfolk behind them. Jack gave the other man a quick grin, but the expression vanished as he abruptly stepped passed the former CEO and fired three careful shots at a trio of rakks that descended down on them. Almost simultaneously, Michael fired on a small flock of the beasts that had swung around from the other side.

As their fellows fell, the remaining rakks wheeled away and quickly scattered with raucous squawks, abandoning the dead and the hive that had been their home. The two men were left puffing, but in relatively good shape.

"I don't know about you," Jack drawled, "but I think I'm all funned out."

"Seconded," Michael agreed, the older man huffing. "Damn, you're quick on your feet."

"Clean living and plenty of exercise," Hyperion's president replied, and his smile had a hint of secrecy about it. "I think I'm going to put the rest of the tour on hold. Next stop, Opportunity."

"How aptly named," the gunsmith commented dryly.

/

/

"So, let's say I take you up on your offer and accept the job," the former CEO began.

"Oh, like that's in question," Jack retorted. "I saw the grin on your face all through that mess. You'll love it here. But sure. 'Let's say.'"

"Let's say I did take the job," Michael repeated, a corner of his lip curling upward. "What precisely are you looking for? You were a little vague on the details aside from it being in the R&D department."

Hyperion's president was leading him through the main building in Opportunity, heading toward the elevator that would take them up to the central office of Research and Development.

"We lost one of the R&D Director's assistants a few months back," Jack explained. "I wanted to bring someone up through the ranks, but the Director wanted someone with more specific qualifications."

One of Michael's eyebrows crooked upward and he smiled slightly.

"You let your directors veto your decisions?"

Hyperion's president let out a slow breath through his teeth and frowned.

"Normally, no. But this is sort of an odd situation." He ushered the other man into the elevator and once the doors closed, there was a soft hum and a feeling of movement.

"So he asked for me specifically?" the former CEO inquired curiously.

"No, actually, I threw your name out there. Honestly, I did it more as a joke—I didn't actually expect a former CEO of a gun manufacturing company to be willing to take this kind of a position, but she immediately latched onto the idea and I didn't hear the end of it until I promised to try and get you."

"She?" Michael repeated, beginning to grin, starting to get an inkling as to what was going on behind the scenes. His suspicion was confirmed when Jack let out a put-upon sigh.

The elevator let out a soft chime and the doors opened. Typically, the heart of R&D offered a beautiful view of the city and the ocean—the walls were made of reinforced glass and the framework was minimal to avoid breaking the illusion of a room open to the world. However, today they had been darkened and the artificial lights of the office had been dimly illuminated. There were half a dozen people gathered around a testing chamber, and bursts of color flared brightly from within the sealed container atop its plinth. The crackle of lightning hissed and spat inside the chamber's confines, a brilliant display of potential power and violence, and standing before the chamber was a green haired woman wearing a white lab coat and almost comically big safety goggles tinted in bronze. She had her head back and was cackling in triumph as the lightning snapped and snarled.

"It works!" she cried in glee. "Igor! Get me another one!"

Beside her, a handsome, though almost effeminate, blonde haired man bent over and began to shuffle toward a locked container nearby like the idea of standing upright was a foreign concept to him.

"Yes, master!" he replied with a heavily accented voice like some villain's henchmen out of an Echo show for children.

Jack shook his head from his place next to Michael.

"Babe, this is the R&D department, not a mad scientist's laboratory! Could you please show a little restraint? I'm trying to run a respectable company here!"

At the president's voice, the observers around the testing chamber scattered like birds before a storm. The woman looked up and a wicked grin curled her lips.

"Hey, this is my department! I can run it how I want!" She hopped down from the platform and pulled the goggles off her face, setting them atop her head, revealing violet eyes. A couple bouncy, animated steps brought her over to them.

"I thought you weren't going to be back all day," she continued.

"Yeah, well, a rakk hive killed those plans. Also, I'm cancelling casual Fridays," Jack retorted. The green haired woman gasped and clutched at her goggles.

"Nuuu! Fridays are the highlight of my week! The day my creativity is allowed to run free! Igor!" She turned on the blonde haired man who was lumbering back toward them, holding a small box. "Our brainstorming sessions are in danger!"

"It can't be, master!" he protested as he lurched over to them. "It's when we—"

"Knock it off, Squeaky," the president interrupted, rolling his eyes. The blonde haired assistant immediately straightened.

"Yes, sir," he mumbled quietly in a more normal voice, brushing a hand down his lab coat awkwardly.

"Ok, now that the silliness is over, Michael Sampson, meet Nadalie Tirrell, Director of the R&D department," Jack said by way of introduction, gesturing to the woman before them. Nadie's eyes lit and she took Michael's offered hand.

"Nice to make your acquaintance, Mr. Sampson. I've been looking forward to meeting you."

"The pleasure is mine, Ms. Tirrell," he replied easily.

"Nadie, please," she insisted. "I've already set up a station for you with everything you'll need, though if I've forgotten anything, please let me or Alexander here know and we'll get it for you…"

"I hate to interrupt," he broke in gently, "but I'm compelled to point out the fact that I haven't actually accepted the job yet."

Nadie and Alexander exchanged a look and then both beamed at him.

"Oh, no worries, you'll love it here," Nadie assured him. "I know it's been a few years since you've been in the business, but I have no doubt you'll be back up to your elbows in designs by the end of the day! We crafters can't help but feel the craving to get our fingers dirty and exercise our creativity, after all."

"Ms. Tirrell…"

"Nadie," she repeated firmly. "You can't tell me you're not already thinking about muzzle length and mod enhancement and propulsion mechanics… I saw the curiosity on your face when the Lightningbug was chirping."

"Lightningbug?" Jack interceded, quirking an eyebrow. "I thought guns didn't get names until they came out of the prototype phase."

Nadie closed one eye and held a finger up to her lips.

"First, it's not a gun. Second, it's a secret."

"Nadie…" the masked man began warningly. Anyone else would have flinched at his tone, but the green haired woman's impish grin widened into a real smile.

"Don't ruin the surprise, Jack! You'll like it! Has anything I've ever created disappointed you?"

"Not yet," he pointed out grudgingly, but the edge in his voice faded.

Michael, meanwhile, was rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Lightningbug, huh? Is it a PDD?"

Jack and Nadie glanced over at him, the president with a blank look and the green haired woman with a surprised expression.

"Wow, I didn't think anyone used that vernacular anymore. It is," she acknowledged with a small nod.

"A what?" Jack demanded.

"A Personal Defense Device," Michael explained. "They're more commonly referred to these days as 'shields,' though to be honest, a shield is only one variation of a PDD. There used to be many other types, each typically boasting a unique or niche ability built into them. However, they started falling out of use because they weren't cost effective to mass produce, unlike the much simpler, more generic shield we see today."

"With the advances in Hyperion's technology, I think I've figured out how to mitigate the cost issue while still producing a unique product that can stand against the shield as a ground-troop option," Nadie interrupted excitedly. "It would use a similar principle as the Dahl booster shields, but would be based off proximity alerts as opposed to successful munition impact to trigger its affect. That way its ability would ignite before the wearer is in serious bodily danger."

"If it's proximity based, how would you keep it from activating at an ally's presence?" Michael asked curiously, intrigued by the concept.

"Simple! I'm going to program in a safety protocol that will lock down activation in the event that a sister PDD comes into contact with it."

Michael chuckled as he observed, "Which makes it worthwhile for a company to buy them in bulk rather than equip their army with a random assortment of materials, thus guaranteeing you a substantial profit."

"And the safety program is lightweight enough that I could install it in any variation of the PDDs we make, so it allows a buyer to mix and match whatever different types Hyperion designs and produces."

"That's… quite clever, actually," Michael acknowledged. "How many variations have you designed?"

"Sadly, just the Lightningbug so far. I only recently got the department cleaned up from the last director, so I haven't had much time to design any others."

"I can't imagine it would be too difficult to alter what effect it has…" Michael mused. The two crafters stared at each other for a moment and then Nadie grinned.

"Want to see the blueprints?"

"In a word: _yes_!"

Alexander glanced over at Jack who was shaking his head slowly as the duo scampered over to the green haired woman's desk.

"Babe, I'm leaving now!" Hyperion's president informed his director. Nadie waved a distracted hand.

"Bye, I love you! See you at dinner!"

"Thanks for the tour!" Michael added absentmindedly. Handsome Jack stared at the two of them flatly.

"How does she do it?" he asked dryly. "This is a downgrade considering what he used to do."

"Kindred spirits," Alexander replied simply with a shrug. "Muffin?" He offered a plate to the president. Jack took one and turned back toward the elevator.

"I'll have Jimmy forward the employment docs to Nadie shortly. Make sure they come up for air long enough to fill them out," he ordered. Alexander saluted.

"Can do!"

Jack stepped into the elevator and sighed.

"She makes me money, but damn, that woman is going to be the death of me." As the doors slid shut smoothly, he grinned impishly.

"I guess I'll keep her."


	3. Chapter 02

Mister Blake took one look at Jack's expression when the president returned to his office and inquired, "Shall I forward the application to Ms. Tirrell, then?"

"Sometimes I can't tell if she's one of my best assets or my worst enemy," the masked man grumbled as he walked up to his desk so he could drop down into his chair.

"With all due respect, sir, she's your employee and your lover. That designates her as both." The well-dressed gentleman gave his superior a slight smile. "You were aware she was Pandoran before you promoted her."

"I think 'Pandoran' is superseded by 'Siren,'" Jack replied with a chuckle. "Which yes, I also knew before I promoted her. I knew what I was getting into." He tapped his desk thoughtfully for a moment. "Though I didn't anticipate having the only active Siren in the six galaxies in my employ. Not that I'm complaining, mind…"

"Sir?" Mister Blake questioned. Jack looked back at him and counted off his fingers.

"Steele dead for not quite a decade, Lilith and…" He paused and gritted his teeth before continuing, "and Angel a few years back, and then Maya and Asha just a couple of months ago. Which means the eldest of the five is somewhere between seven and ten, and the two youngest are either newborns or soon to be. That leaves Nadie as the only adult Siren anywhere."

Mister Blake considered that for a moment.

"She could make quite a name for herself if she felt like it," the assistant acknowledged. Jack nodded.

"Luckily for me, all she really wants to do is make weapons. Our priority is making sure she stays happy making said weapons. For me, specifically."

"Hence this work to bring Mr. Sampson in?"

"One reason of many," Jack responded with a waved hand. "I'm never going to say no to bringing a competitor's skills into the fold, former or otherwise, and she would have bugged me incessantly until I tried to get him anyway. Of course, I certainly wouldn't have expected Michael to take the job, company dissolved or otherwise; the loyalty people have to their employers is astonishing sometimes. But low and behold, that woman snagged him in a few minutes with one prototype project."

"She does have that aura about her," Mister Blake agreed easily. Jack shot him a grin.

"Still think I made a mistake in giving her the department?"

Mister Blake folded his hands before him and smiled thinly.

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you, sir."

Jack nodded once in triumph and indulged himself in the satisfaction for a moment. Then, his grin faded and he leaned forward intently.

"So, any news on our lead?"

"Unfortunately, not yet, sir," Mister Blake replied. "The technicians have been on 24/7 surveillance for any unusual frequencies, but so far, there's been nothing out of the ordinary."

Jack frowned irritably. "That is not what I wanted to hear."

"My sincere apologies, sir," Mister Blake responded, "but we are dealing with ancient technology that we're only beginning to understand. We'll keep our ears open, and if something catches their attention, we'll let you know immediately."

The president let out a slow breath and tipped back in his chair once more.

"I want to know the moment they do, day or night."

"Yes, sir."

"All right, I guess since we're passed that disappointment, what other mundane things need my attention?"

Mister Blake turned his gaze to the inbox on his superior's desk which boasted a substantial pile of documents awaiting his review. Jack tapped one of his fingers on the desktop as he followed Mister Blake's gaze.

"Ugh. Paperwork. One of my least favorite mundane activities."

"Sir…"

"Can't I just give it to Nadie to do? She's so good at it!"

"I think you've given Ms. Tirrell enough tasks," Mister Blake retorted gently, but firmly.

"But she finally finished her backlog in the department… She's got free time now!"

"Yes, and the increase in the R&D department's profit in the last month shows that," his assistant pointed out. Jack huffed.

"Fine, fine." He reached over and picked up some of the stack. "Is there anything else exciting on the docket?"

Mister Blake glanced over the president's schedule on his datapad.

"Just the upcoming visit with the Tediore rep, but that is still a couple weeks away."

"Ah yes. Thankfully, Nadie will be back by then. You two can tag team that one."

"Sir, you're going to have to deal with him occasionally," the assistant protested. "As president, you have to be the one—" Mister Blake paused and blinked. "I'm sorry, sir, what? I was not aware Ms. Tirrell was leaving."

"Yeah, she's going to her backwards little town for about a week," Jack explained, waving his pen idly before scrawling his signature across a form before him. "Apparently, it's their annual town festival or some such and she wanted to go help."

Mister Blake tapped his fingers together.

"She just got the department up and running at full efficiency and you're letting her leave?"

"The priority is making sure she stays happy, remember?" the president retorted. "Besides, we just brought someone on board who's done all this before."

"Yes, someone who's loyalty to the company is untested…"

"Ah, Squeaky will keep him in line."

"Sir, seriously?"

Jack looked up at him from over his paperwork with a crooked brow and a smile, but there was an edge in the expression that told Mister Blake he was beginning to get into dangerous territory. The assistant nodded quickly.

"Very good, sir. Will you be going with her?"

"And be bored out of my skull? No way. As quaint as her hometown is, it's as exciting as an accounting budget meeting. I'll stay here, thank you."

"Very good, sir."

/

/

"I wish I had met you earlier," Nadie observed with a chuckle as she looked over the newest blueprint Michael had brought her. "I really could have used you as a sounding board when I was growing up."

A few days had passed since the former CEO of S&S Munitions had settled into his new role, and while it was true the position was of a lesser stature than he had once held, being back in front of a drawing board was rewarding enough to overcome any negative feelings that might have arisen. For all his experience with the typical type of person who ended up in managerial rolls, he was pleasantly surprised by the green haired director who was now his boss. She was positive, incessantly curious, and actively encouraged her subordinates to go off topic with side experiments. While they often didn't lead to any real fruit, it definitely kept the environment of the lab feeling open and intellectually inviting. A steady supply of baked goods brought in by Nadie's other assistant, Alexander, soothed any tempers peaked by hunger, and the blonde haired man's antics ensured a lighthearted atmosphere prevailed.

The lab filled Michael with a sense of nostalgia—he had once endeavored to have a workspace much like this one. He knew it was only a matter of time before the machine that was a multibillion dollar company ground the warm environment into cold, methodical output. It was just a sad inevitability.

The older man smiled in response to Nadie's statement.

"It's a pity Hyperion found you first. Any company would pay more than your weight in hard cash to have someone with your talents. They hit the jackpot with you."

"I don't know about that," she protested. The former CEO glanced pointedly at the Siren markings across her arm and then up at her. Nadie frowned and rubbed her left hand awkwardly.

Ever since the events of a few months prior, the green haired woman had, at her lover's encouragement, relaxed her vigilant guard on letting others know about the fact she was a Siren. Jack seemed to adore the fact his girlfriend was one of the few women granted an unexplainable, inhuman power, but many years of keeping it out of the public's sight made her slow to be comfortable revealing it. She had gotten to the point where she didn't put on her gloves every morning, but she still tended toward long sleeved, high collared blouses in an effort to keep the blue whirls covered.

"Be that as it may," Nadie huffed brusquely, looking back at the blueprints once more. She frowned, though the expression was more thoughtful than bothered.

"Why did you set the circuitry in this manner?"

Michael smirked as he explained, "Old engineering trick. You see…"

The duo lost track of time in their banter, two inventors indulging their calling, and their conversation ebbed and flowed as they took turns editing and redrafting the design. In one of those quiet moments, Michael voiced a question that had been niggling at him for some time.

"Ms. Tirrell—"

"Nadie," she interrupted immediately.

"May I make an inappropriate inquiry?"

She looked up from the sketch and grinned.

"I love questions like that. Go ahead."

"Are you from Grophic IV? I know it's not exactly appropriate for me to ask, but my curiosity got the best of me…"

Nadie blinked at him and shook her head.

"No, I was born here, on Pandora. I don't know if I've ever even heard of Grophic IV. Why would you ask?"

"Hm." Michael leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. "I could have sworn… Ah, your hair and eye color is…"

"A little unusual, I know," she acknowledged. "I inherited them from my mother." The corner of her lip twitched as she fought to not scowl.

"Interesting. Was she then, perhaps?"

"I honestly have no idea. I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

"Grophic IV is home to a faction of Anshin's scientists who have dedicated their study to genetic manipulation and modification," he explained. "They are well-known for being some of the most attractive people in the six galaxies—their skills with altering DNA have made sure of that. It's also allowed them to choose hair, eye, even skin colors that would not normally be considered human or normal." He shrugged at her a little helplessly. "Green hair, purple eyes… Not exactly standard. Granted, the scientists aren't known for travelling off-planet, so the concept that you were from there was pretty far-fetched, but I guess I just thought…"

Nadie gave him a half smile.

"I'm afraid I don't have any information for you. I know I inherited most of my appearance from my mother. That's about all I've got."

Michael nodded. "I'm sorry to have pried."

"Don't be," she replied. "It's no big deal."

Suddenly, the green haired woman winced and looked up to find they were sitting in an empty lab. She let out a dry laugh.

"Looks like we missed the bell for lunch again. Go eat, Mr. Sampson."

"Michael," he insisted. "Care to join me?"

She waved a soothing hand at him.

"No, thank you. I'm not hungry at the moment and I don't want to lose the idea I'm working on. Have a good lunch!"

The older man sighed wistfully, remembering a time when he had possessed the energy to push through breaks and lunches, but he headed out of the department to pursue a meal to fortify himself and left Nadie to the falling silence of the room. The Siren waited until she heard the elevator doors slide shut and then tipped her head back, eyes closed, and let out a long, slow breath, relaxing in her seat.

Her peace didn't last long—the elevator let out a soft ding and a male voice began, "And you clearly haven't left for lunch. Again."

"Your concern is noted, Alexander," Nadie retorted without opening her eyes.

"You really need to take better care of yourself, Nadie," Alexander chided her.

"Yes, Dad," she sighed.

"Don't give me that," he poked back. "Handsome Jack himself ordered me to make sure I looked after you."

She snorted disbelievingly. "I'm sure he did."

When Alexander didn't respond, she opened an eye and looked over at him.

"Did he?"

"Yeah. Threatened my continuing existence and everything if anything happened to you. Best day of my life," the blonde haired man all but purred. Nadie rolled her eyes.

"Fanboy."

"Yup!" he replied happily. The Siren's lips curled into a half smile.

"He's got such a strange way of showing his affection."

"But he's serious about it," Alexander stated firmly.

"I know."

"And as such," the gun designer continued, "it is in my best interest to make sure you stay happy and healthy. Cookie?" He held up a small box. Nadie looked over and shook her head.

"Yeah, because cookies are the epitome of health. Thanks, but not at the moment. I'm not hungry."

Alexander frowned. "There's always room for cookies. Who are you and what have you done with Nadalie?"

She sighed irritably. "Look, I'm just not feeling terribly well right now, ok? I'll have one later."

Alexander's frown deepened. "Not feeling terribly well? Nadie, your ooky Siren power is based on healing! I've _never_ seen you get sick."

The green haired woman didn't answer and the seconds ticked by as Alexander stared at Nadie intently. Then, like a switch, a metaphorical lightbulb went off inside his head and his eyes lit.

"Nadie, are you preg—"

"Not a word, Alexander!" she snapped, surging to her feet immediately. An expression of regret instantly passed across her face as her stomach turned, but she pushed the sensation away after a moment. A delighted grin stretched across Alexander's face and he squealed excitedly. Nadie rolled her eyes.

"Yes, yes."

"Really? Seriously?!"

"Yeah," she sighed. "As it turns out, my stupid, ooky healing powers are stronger than two layers of preventatives."

"Well," Alexander began slyly, "you two do have a very active—"

"Yes, I know," she grumbled, cutting him off. "It was sort of inevitable."

The blonde haired man bounced on his feet.

"Have you told him?"

"Not yet," she answered grudgingly. "I haven't figured out exactly how I want to break the news to him."

"Oh, I'll do it! I'll do it!" he offered excitedly. Nadie glowered at him.

"Over my dead body."

He huffed and put his hands on his hips.

"That would sort of be counter-productive."

Nadie's eyes narrowed, but whatever she might have said was interrupted by a new voice.

"Sweet cheeks, do you ever leave the lab if I don't drag you out of it?" Jack questioned as he stepped out of the elevator.

"Sir!" Alexander greeted brightly.

"Squeaky. Hiya, babe."

Nadie smiled in spite of herself.

"Hey, lover. What's up?"

"Nothing of particular note. I've had to spend my whole morning doing paperwork, so I figured I'd make my daring escape and find something actually fun to do."

Nadie chuckled. "Mister Blake didn't have tasks of his own to complete this morning, huh?"

"That man is a slave driver," Jack growled. "I planned to just bring it all to you, but he wouldn't let me."

The green haired woman blinked and then smiled thinly.

"Mental note to self: send him a thank you note and some coffee."

"Babe!" Jack protested woundedly. "Your job is to help me out, isn't it?"

"Yes, to help you out by running the R&D department," she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. A crooked smile took her lips. "You want me to do more than that, then we need to talk about a pay increase."

She was expecting him to immediately shoot back a snarky remark, but he paused and frowned thoughtfully. Nadie's eyes widened.

"Are you seriously considering it just so you can get out of paperwork?"

"I really don't like paperwork," he answered her firmly. Nadie laughed and shook her head.

"I like it in the R&D department. I'm not going to give that up for more paperwork. Especially since I just got a break from it."

"Cookie?" Alexander offered, holding up the open box to the president. "It'll make you feel better."

"I dunno," Jack replied dryly as he took one. "I spent all morning doing one of my least favorite activities and now my girlfriend's abandoning me."

"I'm not abandoning you," Nadie sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'm just not volunteering to do your work as well as mine."

"Exactly!" he exclaimed. He popped the cookie in his mouth and then went for a second one.

"I'm going to steal him," Jack warned her, and while she could tell he was being serious, there was a hint of teasing in his voice. She knew he wasn't in the best of moods, but she took that as a good sign and decided to risk bumping heads with him further.

"No, you won't."

"Yes, I will. I want fresh baked treats every day. It's the only thing that would make this paperwork that I apparently have to do because my loving girlfriend rejected me tolerable."

"I would have brought more sweets," Alexander broke in, "but there was a bun in the oven!" He smiled brilliantly at the green haired woman, meeting her gaze squarely. A dark expression settled on Nadie's face.

"Alexander… Get out."

"Nadie's just mad because she can't have any…" the blonde haired man informed Jack in a mock whisper. "Her tummy's too full for anything more."

" _Now_ ," the Siren snapped angrily. Alexander grinned impishly and scampered out of the lab without provoking her any further. Both watched him go, Nadie glowering, Jack munching on his second cookie, and once the elevator doors closed, the president turned back to her.

"You've been moody the last few days," he observed even as he closed the distance between them to pull her close.

"I have not," she protested, and his brows crooked up at the sharpness in her tone. She blinked a couple of times and then sighed, shoulders slumping.

"Ok, maybe a little bit."

"What's going on, sweet cheeks?" He tucked her up against his chest and brushed her lips with his own. "You got the person you were aiming for in the department, you've been working on projects constantly, and I know I'm not leaving you wanting at night. So, why the snippiness?"

The Siren took a slow breath.

"I don't know…"

"Is it the trip to your hometown? You afraid that you're going to be mind-numbingly bored? I know I would be."

She chuckled softly. "No, it's not that."

"Then what is it? Is it that I'm not going with you? Because I know, your life revolves around me, but I'm sure you'll be ok without me for a week, babe."

The Siren rubbed her nose beneath his chin, hiding her face from view.

"I dunno… I'm quite fond of being with you."

"I'm fond of being with me, too, sweet cheeks, but—amazingly—that's not the be-all, end-all of the world." He leaned back so he could meet her gaze. "Besides, it's not like this trip isn't an inconvenience to me as well. I'm going to have to re-civilize you after you've hung out with your bullymong father for a week."

She smiled dryly. "For the last time, my dad is not a bullymong."

"Oh, babe, you know it won't be for the last time… You can't deny what he is."

"Not a bullymong," she grumbled. He quirked an eyebrow at her. She frowned irritably.

"Ok, psycho."

His eyes narrowed. "Babe."

She sighed. "Sorry." The Siren looked up and kissed him gently. "This is a stupid argument. I'm leaving tomorrow; I don't want this to be our last conversation." She kissed him again slowly, and his hands slipped down to her lower back, bringing her up against him fully. She tugged at his jacket impatiently.

"Do you have any more paperwork to do?" the green haired woman asked breathlessly, already sliding his coat off his shoulders.

"Ask me if I care," he retorted in a low growl, heat in his voice as his hands crept under her blouse.

Michael was the first to arrive back at the lab, having intended to get straight to work once more, but one look in the lab after he stepped in was enough to have him spin right around and head back out.


	4. Chapter 03

Erikeep was a bustle with excitement and enthusiasm at the impending celebration. For all that Hyperion's festivals were grandiose and awe-inspiring, there was something heart-warming in the joy of a small town revelry. As much as she had told Jack that she wasn't nervous about returning to her hometown, Nadie couldn't deny to herself that she had been a bit concerned about it. She had been away from Erikeep for almost two years, and some unreasonable fear had nestled in the back of her head that whispered dark premonitions to her, causing her to wonder if she really could go home again.

The moment she stepped out from the fast travel station into the warm desert air, however, she knew all her misgivings were for nothing. The Siren had barely two moments to look around at the old Dahl buildings she had grown up running between and scrambling over before Erikeep's mayor, Ryanne Thorpe, closed the distance with her.

"Welcome home, Nadie," she greeted, extending her arms to embrace the younger woman. Ryanne was one of those women who had hit thirty and then gotten lost in that timeless state that could put her anywhere from early thirties to late sixties. Nadie privately thought Ryanne would leave this life looking beautiful, no matter what age that might end up being.

"Hi, Ryanne," the Siren responded warmly and accepted the hug. "How are things going?"

"Quite well," the mayor answered. "A full hotel, nearly overbooked tours, and our resident scientists are out in the depths of the ruins, so they shouldn't be boring any of our visitors with complex theories. How do you feel about running a few tours while you're here? I know it's been a while, but we could really use your help…"

Nadie laughed. "No problem. I'd be happy to be of assistance. That's what I'm here for, after all."

That acceptance opened up the flood gate, and Nadie quickly found herself practically running back and forth across town, helping where needed, putting out fires as they arose (mostly figurative, though there was one unpleasant incident with the fireworks intended for the final day), and she swiftly found she had lost three days of her "vacation."

It was midday when she wound up working with her father to help set up some of the booths that were going to host games of skill and chance. She laughed breathlessly.

"I almost forgot what it was like to do manual labor."

Her father grunted once.

"Thought you'd be happy about that."

The sheriff of Erikeep was a big man—broad shoulders and muscular, he was the epitomization of the kind of person who was able to get old on Pandora, a planet well-known for its populace's short lifespans. He had come to Pandora as a Dahl captain, assigned to a mining site to protect the workers. When Dahl had pulled out and abandoned its employees, Lawson and his men had stayed behind to protect the civilians from the freed bandits that threatened them. Lawson had won, but the sheriff bore a deep scar over his now useless left eye, an old wound that spoke of the cost of that achievement.

"I love having a job that lets me create," Nadie replied, "but there is something very satisfying in being out in the sun working with my hands."

There was a moment of companionable silence between them before Lawson broke it.

"You should probably add some walks into your schedule," he suggested neutrally. "Make it a habit to keep moving. You're going to get stiff easier as time progresses." He fell silent again and then added, almost to himself, "I hope the kid takes after you."

The Siren flinched and dropped the wood bar she had been about to pin up. It hit her head with a solid thunk.

"Ouch! What?!" Her gaze snapped to her father who calmly picked the bar back up and handed it to her. "I— But— How the heck did you—"

"You're… uh… you've put on a bit of weight," he explained uncomfortably, turning back to his task. Nadie frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, a gesture made out of irritation and a level of embarrassment.

"Not that much," she protested awkwardly. "And you're not supposed to notice things like that!"

"It's my job to pay attention to details, Nadie. It's what has kept us safe as long as it has."

They worked quietly for a moment and then he spoke again.

"How far?"

"About six or seven weeks, give or take."

"Does he know?"

"Not yet."

He grunted. "When are you going to tell him?"

She let out a breath between her teeth, the normally vocal woman giving her father terse answers.

"Not sure."

"Better do it quick. He'll figure it out sooner or later."

"I know, Dad."

Conversation died out after that as the Tirrells worked in silence for a while, the cacophony of excited visitors wafting over them. Nadie looked up and she found a slight smile tugging at her lips unwillingly.

"Man, the big festivities don't even start until tomorrow, but there are a ton of people here."

"We've seen a lot more tourists in the past couple of years," Lawson replied. "Lots of off-planet guests, but even a few from Helios and around Pandora. The ruins have been getting quite a bit of attention recently."

"We almost might be able to run the town off tours instead of mining," she chuckled. Lawson shot her a look.

"Don't suggest that to Ryanne. I don't need strangers in and out of my town all year. This is more than enough."

"Aw, you sure, Dad? I know you're such a people person. Seeing new faces is the highlight of your day!"

Lawson glowered up at her.

"That man is starting to rub off on you," he grumbled.

The Siren grinned, but the sheriff was saved from any additional heckling when her Echo chimed at her. She tapped it.

"Hey, Dylan, what's up? What? All right, I'll be there in a minute." She glanced up at her father.

"Saved by engine trouble," she told him. "I've got to go give my mechanic a hand."

"I thought you didn't deal with vehicles?"

"Figured it might be a good idea if I learned in case our truck was torn apart again. I'll be back in a bit."

She finished setting up the frame of the booth and then clapped her hands together, trying to get some of the dirt and dust off. Once satisfied with them, she tucked her hands in her pockets and headed off down the road toward the building that served as the tour's headquarters and garage. Lawson watched her go and sighed.

"He's a bad influence," the big man grumbled.

/

/

"Yes, sir?" Mister Blake asked as he approached the president's desk. His superior was standing before the large windows that overlooked the coast of the Highlands, his hands folded behind his back, and he didn't turn to look at his assistant as Mister Blake walked up. Mister Blake stopped before the desk and waited for the CEO to speak.

"I still have yet to hear anything from the technicians," Jack began neutrally.

"They have yet to find anything, sir," Mister Blake replied. "I assure you, they have not become lax. I've made sure they continue searching around the clock."

"I dunno, Jimmy." The president began to pace back and forth before the bay windows. "The Key constantly gives off data, so I highly doubt they haven't found anything."

Mister Blake tilted his head in acknowledgement.

"They haven't found anything of relevance to your current interest," the assistant clarified. "We still haven't been able to fully translate all of the information we've gotten."

"But we could certainly understand enough to find out there's an unclaimed Vault somewhere on Pandora," the CEO snapped. "Or will be. Or has been. Because no one seems to be able to clarify any of that except that a Vault exists."

"I assure you, sir, they are working as hard as they can on this endeavor."

"They aren't working hard enough," was the retort. "I think we need to bring some new, fresh eyes on the matter. And, as a happy coincidence, the Warrior needs some exercise. He hasn't found any bandit encampments recently. How good are the technicians' acting skills? Can they scream random things about meat while running from 30 tons of death?"

"Sir?" Mister Blake questioned carefully, trying to get a feel for the seriousness of his superior's instructions.

"Did I stutter?" Handsome Jack demanded as he looked back at his assistant. Mister Blake carefully schooled his expression and nodded once.

"I understand, sir."

"Good."

The assistant watched him silently for a moment, thinking quickly. It was not outside his superior's behavior to abruptly order the demise of a team of Hyperion employees, and it had been a common occurrence during his rise to power and the battle against the Vault Hunters for the control of Pandora, but that habit had tapered off with his success and then almost completely vanished in the last year. The suddenness of such a vicious command caught Mister Blake off-guard, and in response, he chose his tactics carefully.

"As it will take me a few days to get a new group of technicians in the department and brought up to speed, may I make a suggestion, sir?"

The masked man gave him an irritated look, but waved a hand in a permissive gesture.

"Go ahead."

"Since taking over the planet, you have rarely been outside of Helios or Opportunity. Perhaps while you wait, you could spend some time out among the people of Pandora, backwards as they may be. It would be good for them to meet their leader in the flesh, and I'm sure their customs could provide a source of amusement for you until we have something more concrete."

Handsome Jack frowned in annoyance.

"Being out among the unwashed, uncivilized masses? How fun."

"Well, if you were to find a town that is, oh, I don't know, celebrating some event or another, you could at least meet them at their best."

"That's not saying much, Jimmy."

"I know. Let's be honest, sir. There are no immediate concerns that require your attention here. You've caught up on what paperwork needed action, the endeavors you wish to progress on are, for the moment, on hold, and the upcoming meeting with the Tediore representative is still about a week away. Take a vacation. Explore the nooks and crannies of this world. There is nothing exciting happening here at this moment and you are not one for idleness."

Handsome Jack stared out the window silently for a moment. Mister Blake allowed himself a slight smile.

"If you would prefer to remain here, I could always use some assistance with an audit of the Tourism department. I only suggest it in the event that you would like an excuse to remain within Opportunity. It is a lot of paperwork and double checking costs, however."

"You know what a better idea is?" the president retorted. "Making sure my girlfriend doesn't go native. I don't think I need her trying to climb buildings when she gets back."

Mister Blake nodded once.

"Very good, sir. Shall I let her know you're on the way?"

"Nah. No need to spook the wild animals."

/

/

"Holy crap, that's heavy!" Nadie swore as she caught the temporary wall that served as a barricade between one booth and the next. Lawson pushed the inebriated tourist into his deputy's arms and came to her aid. The two of them righted the divider and Nadie quickly lashed it back into place.

The Tirrells had been on their feet all afternoon attempting to keep some semblance of law and order in their happy little town, a feat made incredibly difficult by the number of people packed into the city's walls. They had just stopped a bar fight from spilling too far out into the street, though the combatants had been rambunctious enough that they knocked over a few of the stalls nearby offering wares and food in their attempts to resist being detained.

"Gotta love being around people when they're at their best, huh?" Nadie asked dryly. Lawson only grunted in answer. They stood silently for a moment as they watched the inebriated tourists get led away by Lawson's men. Then, she sighed.

"I think I'm done being a deputy. I'm exhausted. How do you do this all day?"

"Someone has to," her father replied simply. "You could always go back to the tours, if that's more your speed."

"Actually," she began, but was cut off abruptly by a warm male greeting of, "Sweet cheeks!" Both Tirrells looked up sharply to see Hyperion's president striding down the street toward them, causing quite a stir from both tourists and townsfolk as the legend himself walked amongst them. Lawson turned slowly to look at Nadie, the latter of who was wearing a horrified expression.

"I thought you said he wasn't coming."

"I didn't think he was! What is he doing here? He is going to be bored out of a skull here!"

Lawson frowned. "Speaking of seeing people at their best, you'd better go entertain him, otherwise you aren't going to see me at mine."

Nadie shot her father an apologetic look before quickly moving to intercept her lover.

"Hi! I wasn't expecting you!" she greeted brightly, walking up to him. He didn't reply immediately—instead, he wrapped an arm around her, tugged her close, and kissed her. Nadie was very aware of the fact she was standing in the middle of the street of her hometown, surrounded by tourists and the people she had spent most of her life with, clinging to a man most everyone thought of as a god. Every sense of propriety she had was chastising her at emphatic volumes in her head, but she ignored the reproachful orders, consumed by the taste and feel of the only man to have ever drawn her interest. She indulged in him, leaning into his grip, and when he finally released her lips, it was several moments before she had enough breath to speak.

"Hello," the Siren finally managed to say.

"Hi," he all but purred, arms still tightly around her. "I know, I said I wasn't going to come, but I realized you must be missing me terribly. I know you're just not at your best without me around."

She chuckled softly. "Well, you do bring out the best in me… as well as the worst."

"Hey now," he protested. "I give you a lab, resources to build with, let you keep my masseur and chef… how in the world am I anything other than a fantastic employer and supportive boyfriend?"

"You also interrupt my work at the drop of a hat, you pull me out of the lab for random errands or whims, and you consume my entire weekend!"

He leaned back and gave her a thin smile.

"Are you really complaining about the time I spend on you?"

She might have teased him further on a normal day, attempted to sound more put-upon, but there was an edge entering his tone, and as much as his embrace was warm, there was a tightness to it that hadn't been there initially.

"No," she replied gently and leaned up to kiss his nose. "I would never object to you claiming my time. Or anything else of me," she added, smiling coyly. His irritated smirk widened into a malicious grin.

"All right, you two," Lawson's voice cut in. "You're making a scene and holding up traffic. Get it together or get it behind closed doors."

Nadie flinched and ducked her head, hiding red cheeks from her father's rebuking tone, but Handsome Jack just looked at the sheriff over her shoulder.

"Now, is that any greeting for the Hero of Pandora?" the masked man demanded, bearing his teeth in a wicked smile. Around them, the mix of tourists and townsfolk murmured softly, exchanging unsure looks. Lawson frowned like he had been forced to eat a lemon.

"Nadie," the big man ordered sharply.

"C'mon," she entreated, tugging at her lover's hand to draw him away from the scene, immediately responding to her father's tone.

"Oh, but sweet cheeks, I still have to catch up with your dad…"

"It can wait," she assured him. "Dad's busy right now. Besides, I found some old assault rifle designs tucked away, and I want to see if you would like me to bring them back to the lab."

"Work, work, work," he chastised her warmly as he allowed her to lead him down the road. "Even on your vacation… I don't see why I'm getting in trouble for keeping you busy on weekends and not working incessantly. You clearly don't know when to leave the lab…"

"Hey, I used to work until seven or eight every night," she protested.

"Some nights you still do," he retorted.

"Yeah, but only _some_ nights," she emphasized. "And typically only nights you're working late. Most of the time I come home at a decent hour now."

"Just because you can't get enough of me."

Nadie laughed and stopped, turning toward him to kiss him again.

"You're damn right, I can't."

For a moment, they stood together in companionable silence on a dusty road in between old Dahl buildings, enjoying the company of the other. The back streets of the town were fairly quiet, traversed mostly by the folk who lived there, and those few who walked passed them kept to themselves.

After a moment, Nadie continued on the path to her home, Handsome Jack following after easily.

"Ah, back to the little hovel you grew up in," he observed idly as they came up to the small one story building that served as the Tirrells' home. The Siren gave him a look over her shoulder, smiling slightly.

"Now, now. At least it's clean."

He nodded in acknowledgement, an amused brow quirked.

"That is true… Which is a surprise, as I've never known bullymongs to be particularly neat."

Nadie sighed, dropping her head.

"We're not bullymongs," she grumbled weakly.

" _You're_ not a bullymong," he agreed. "You're only bullymong blooded. Your _dad_ on the other hand…"

She crinkled her nose and pouted at him before heading into the house and going down the stairs into the basement. The underground level had served as the gunsmith's laboratory for many years, and the paraphernalia of a crafter still sat in bins and on shelves throughout the room. Most of the prototypes had been removed earlier, however, taken to her new lab in Opportunity to be used or scrapped for parts and ideas.

"I had forgotten I had a bin for designs I never thought I'd have the resources to try and create," she began, going to a table heavily marked with scores and burns and picked up a folder with random scraps of paper tucked inside of it. "Some of them are probably still overreaching, but a few of them have merit…" The Siren turned back to him, holding the file, and the moment she met his gaze, she fell silent.

"Ah," she realized aloud and quickly tossed the folder back on the table. "Never mind. We can play with that later."

"No, no, go ahead. Be my guest," he offered, smiling. She grinned.

"Oh no, I know that look you're wearing." She closed the distance with him, halting only when her chest brushed against his. "I'm not about to pass it up."

"You sure, babe?" he replied even as he leaned down to brush his lips against hers. "You think your little town will survive without you for a while?"

"They'll just have to," she retorted and kissed him. His hands immediately curved to her back and tucked her up against him and one of her legs slid around his hips as he leaned her back against one of the heavy tables. For all that she had only been gone for a few days, it felt as if it had been months since she had tasted him. Constantly running from one place to another, she hadn't realized how much she missed her lover until this moment, and it was clear from the intensity of his response that the feeling was mutual. The Siren was halfway laid out across the table before she knew it, pinned beneath his weight. His kisses caressed from her lips across her cheek and down her throat to make a mirrored trip back up the other side. The moment he pulled away, she reached up to his face with both hands very slowly, watching him closely. When her fingers brushed the latches holding the mask in place, he flinched away.

"No," he said softly, firmer than a plea, but not quite an order. She pulled her hands back immediately and entangled her fingers in his jacket instead.

Two months prior, Nadie had helped the CEO get his Vault Key back when it had been stolen by his ex-girlfriend and several Vault Hunters. It hadn't been an easy fight, costing the life of one of Nadie's best friends as well as the Siren Maya, and her lover's fear of betrayal had strained the then sixth month old relationship. They had persevered with some unlikely help in the form of the former Vault Hunter Brick and the bombardier Tiny Tina, and the pair had ultimately gotten the Key back and emerged triumphant, their bond stronger for the experience. Since then, the president had fluctuated between surprising gestures of trust to almost panicked efforts to keep total control of himself and the relationship. Nadie had done her best to take his gestures of solidarity and his anxious efforts to keep her at arm's length with as much aplomb as she could. She wasn't willing to risk the offers of faith he gifted her by highlighting them, but every time he let her get a little closer, her heart sang, and nothing compared to the first time he allowed her to see beneath the mask. Since then, he had permitted her to remove it on very rare occasions, but those times had been few and far between, and thus, she treasured them all the more.

"I missed you," she said softly as they divested each other of their clothes.

"Of course you did," he growled throatily as he released his grip on her earlobe with his teeth. "I imagine being surrounded by the folksy people of your town isn't exactly intellectually stimulating."

"That's not necessarily true," she protested breathlessly, nails digging lightly into his bare back. "Patricia and Darrell are here, and Stephen has his own—"

"I missed you, too, bullymong," he interrupted softly.

"And… it's… but…" She sputtered to a stop as his words sank in. Her expression twisted into something that was half affection, half irritation.

"I love you, psycho."

"Not a psycho," he grumbled.

"Not a bullymo—ah!" She gasped as he bit down on the base of her throat.

He didn't give her a chance to retort further.


	5. Chapter 04

"So, what have you been doing the last few days?" Jack asked as the pair strolled the busy streets of Erikeep. Nadie walked closely enough to him that her arm brushed against his and he made no effort to put distance between them.

"Oh, a little bit of everything," she replied. "Acting deputy, construction, a bit of bartending, even had to do some cooking." She stuck her tongue out irritably and he chuckled.

"We both know how much you like doing that."

"It is the worst!"

He slipped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed gently.

"Have you gotten to do anything fun?"

The Siren thought about it for a moment and then shrugged with a smile.

"I guess doing the tours again has been a refreshing change. I forgot how enjoyable they can be."

"Oh yeah, I remember you telling me about that a while ago," he murmured. "You'll have to let me sit in on one, sweet cheeks. That way I can get the whole Erikeep experience."

Nadie, who could only imagine the havoc a bored president might wreck on her tours, sighed softly in relief as she realized she could push that problem off for another day. The Siren had been thinking of offering her services again to get out of acting as a deputy, but Jack's arrival had interrupted that proposition to the mayor. She was now very grateful she hadn't gotten that far.

"Well, unfortunately, I'm not slated for doing any more tours," she informed him. "So you'll have to wait for another visit, I'm sorry to say."

Suddenly, Ryanne's voice rang out, shouting, "Nadie!" The Siren stopped and looked over, a pit already forming in her stomach as a deep sense of foreboding crept down her spine.

"Hi, Ryanne. What can I do for you?"

The mayor came to a halt before the pair, puffing a little as she tried to catch her breath.

"I am terribly sorry to interrupt," she began, "but I'm afraid I'm in a bit of a pinch. One of the placards fell and no one noticed, so we missed scheduling a guide for a tour about to leave in…" she paused as she tapped her Echo to get the time, "ten minutes."

"Placard?" Jack questioned, looking over at Nadie.

"We hang placards on a wall in the warehouse where the trucks are stored so we can have a visual of the schedule," Nadie explained. "It gives us a basis to see how many guides we need in a given day. Typically, they're staggered enough that only one person is required, but on busy days like today, we can have up to three rounds going at a time."

"Which is what we have now," Ryanne said. "And that means I have one unplanned for tour group with no guide. Nadie, I hate to pull you away from your beau, but—"

"Oh, she'll do it," the president interrupted cheerily. Ryanne blinked and glanced up at him for a moment before turning back to Nadie.

"Will you, please?"

The green haired woman frowned up at Jack and then looked to the mayor.

"Of course I will."

"Thank you, dear! I promise, I'll make it up to you." Ryanne spun on her heel and quickly disappeared into the crowd while Nadie slowly turned to stare at Jack. The masked man smiled down at her brightly.

"Look at that. I guess I won't have to wait for our next visit."

Nadie snorted. "Please don't take advantage of this. This is important to my town."

"I'll be on my best behavior," he promised and raised a hand like he was taking an oath. The Siren sighed deeply.

"That's what I'm afraid of…"

/

/

"Good afternoon and welcome to Erikeep!" Nadie greeted warmly. She stood at the head of an extended bed truck beside her driver, looking toward the twenty or so faces who stared back at her. "I'd ask if you all were having a good time, but I've seen the bar tabs, so I already know the answer to that."

There was a soft chuckle from the tourists and the Siren smiled slightly.

"Doing a quick count of limbs, looks like you all made it through Pandora's peculiar brand of hospitality, so good on all of you for either being durable or lucky."

"Or appreciating the Warrior's work for thinning the bandit population," Jack cut in. The president had settled into the very back of the truck and had his feet up on one of the seats in front of him.

"You're welcome," he added. Nadie gave him an amused look as the tourists glanced at him and then murmured amongst themselves excitedly.

"Ok," she sighed, "I guess we do need to acknowledge the bullymong in the room, as it were…"

"And isn't she beautiful, folks?" Jack interrupted, gesturing to her. "You won't find a more attractive specimen anywhere on Pandora, I can assure you!"

The green haired woman pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers.

"Jack…"

"Yes, sweet cheeks?"

"I thought you said you were going to behave."

"I am!" he retorted lightly. "I just want to make sure they get the full Pandoran experience, wildlife and all."

She frowned at him and he beamed back. The moment stretched and then she sighed again and shook her head.

"All right, let's get this show rolling. Dylan?" She glanced down at the driver. "Would you please?"

"You heard the lady, Squeaky 2.0!" came the command from the back.

Dylan looked over his shoulder at the CEO and then at her quizzically. Nadie waved an encouraging hand at him.

"Just go."

Dylan nodded once at the order and twisted the key, listening to the engine turn over. Long and lanky, the driver was a habitual tinkerer and the closest thing to an engineer the town had. He had settled into the role of tour driver as something to do during the daylight hours, but the young man was only really happy when he was putting together pieces and parts. The truck rumbled into life and Dylan directed it out into the street easily.

"As you may or may not know, our fair little berg has been around since people first started settling on Pandora," Nadie began to explain. "It was initially established as a mining operation for raw Eridium ore by Dahl many years ago. When Dahl pulled out from their operations—"

"Cowards," Jack interceded.

"—they left the workers of the mining site to fend for themselves against the bandits who had been released en masse," she continued without acknowledging the interruption. "The town would have inevitably fallen if it hadn't been for its soon-to-be sheriff, Lawson Tirrell. Formerly Crimson Lance, the then-Dahl captain made the decision to remain behind rather than abandon the workers to their fate."

"Hold on a second!" Jack cut in, dropping his feet from the chair and leaning forward intently. "Your dad was Crimson Lance?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I mean, he left them years ago to go work for Dahl. No, don't ask me why," she added quickly when he opened his mouth again. "I don't know why he did. I just know he did."

"Damnit," the president muttered, settling back in his seat once more. "I could have had him working for me years ago."

"He works for you now. Why are you complaining?"

Jack gave her a crooked smile.

"We both know your father pays bare lip service to me."

She laughed as she retorted, "It wouldn't have been any different if he had still worked for Atlas, and you know it. May I continue?"

The CEO waved his hand grandly and she turned back to her audience.

"Lawson and his men stayed behind to protect what would eventually become Erikeep, and the battle for its protection and freedom was fierce and unrelenting."

"Bullymong are very territorial, just so you know," Jack informed the tourists in a confidential tone. Nadie crinkled her nose.

"We're not bullymongs."

"Sure, babe. Sorry. Gotta keep the illusion up, I forgot. My bad."

The Siren narrowed her eyes at him and sniffed, but didn't retort any further. The truck rumbled through the town slowly, people quickly stepping out of the street to make way for it. Nadie had done the tours so many times she didn't need to look at where they were to know they were about to leave the town proper and begin the approach to the freight elevator.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen, we're rolling out of Erikeep and we'll be coming to what you actually came to see in a couple of minutes."

"Dirt?" Jack offered from the back. The tourists chuckled while Nadie gave him an amused look.

"Cute."

"Just here to help."

The truck came to a halt on the freight elevator. For a moment, there was silence, and then there was the warm of hum an awakening engine growled and the lift began to descend.

"Our town's economy is ultimately made up by the mining that goes on down at the base of the canyon, and thanks to the new Eridium veins that started appearing several years ago, business is booming.

"Again, you're welcome," the president broke in. Nadie continued without acknowledging him.

"However, while the mine is what keeps our town alive, what visitors come to see are the Eridian ruins." The Siren turned then and gestured to the humongous black stone structures further down in the canyon. Pillars stood tall, broken walls jutted out of the rock, and further in was the large ruin that towered almost out of the canyon itself, foreboding and awe-inspiring, multitiered and circular with a wide open dais inside its walls.

"Like most of the Eridian structures left across Pandora, no one knows what these ruins were for."

"Alien stuff," the CEO cut in.

"Jack…" Nadie sighed.

"Yes, babe?"

She gave him a look and he returned it with a toothy grin. The green haired woman frowned, but went on.

"There are varying sets of theories out there with regard to this particular landmark… That the canyon was used as a gathering place, or that whatever tribes existed would convene here for celebrations."

"Clearly, weird alien stuff."

Nadie closed her eyes for a moment, resisting the urge to retaliate and lose her professionalism and forced herself to continue.

"Ultimately, we know almost nothing about these ruins. We don't even know if this canyon is natural—it could very well have been constructed by the Eridians to house or protect this site. If you have any interest in hearing all the hypotheses, I will happily direct you to our resident scientist, Darrell Dobos. Just be sure you bring a snack. You'll be there a while." She winked confidentially and got a light laugh in response from her audience. The Siren smiled and glanced out at their descent.

"Ah! We're about to hit the best point on this trip down. To the right, you'll get a better view of the ruins, but to the left, you're going to see my absolutely favorite sight." She clasped her hands before her and looked at the assembled tourists closely, eyes sparkling. In the back, Jack sat up, focusing more intently on the green haired woman in anticipation.

"Wait for it… wait for it…" she all but purred. A level of expectation echoed between the tourists, gathering in power, and then she abruptly swung her hand wide.

"And there it is! You're every day, average rock canyon wall! Isn't it amazing?"

Jack snorted in disappointment. "Babe, you chose rocks over me as your favorite sight? That's _rough_." He let a heartbeat pass and then half leaned over to the tourist next to him as he continued, "Get it? Rough? Cause they're rocks…"

When the tourist looked back at him blankly, the president waved a dismissive hand at him.

"Ah, forget it."

"Don't worry, sweetie," Nadie assured him. "You'll always be my favorite rock."

"Because I'm _rock hard_?" he asked, giving her a wide grin. She smiled brightly and tapped the side of her skull.

"Nah, because you're _rock headed_."

"Babe!" he protested. The Siren laughed.

"I promise, you _rock_ my world."

"Are you sure I don't _aggregate_ you?"

"Any resistance I could try and erect would just be _caved in_."

He tucked his hands behind his head.

"You always did take my skills of persuasion for _granite_."

There was an audible groan from the captive tourists.

"Well, these puns are getting _boulder_ by the minute," Nadie laughed. "We'd better _slate_ them on the backburner and get rolling with the tour."

"Can I just jump out here?" one of the tourists asked, smiling thinly.

The elevator came to a halt abruptly and the truck began driving again.

"Ah, we're grounded once more," the Siren commented. "Saved from any more puns by my job."

She glanced behind her as the truck rumbled down a well-beaten path in between Eridian statues and columns, waiting for them to pass what had been an arch marking the start of the ruin's grounds. The black stone with its odd luminescent purple veins glowed softly in the afternoon light, giving off a beautiful, but eerie sheen as the shadows began to creep across the sand.

"While these ruins have been thoroughly picked over for weapons and artifacts years ago—sorry, you potential treasure hunters—there is still an awful lot we don't know about this place. It's almost labyrinthian in its layout; it spiderwebs out from the central structure in the canyon and each 'wing' that comes off the coliseum has a completely different design from the rest, as if a dozen different architects all got to work without bothering to talk to one another first. It's the primary reason we believe this place was a meeting ground of some kind. It seems like each wing was devoted to a group of individuals who had wildly different tastes from one another."

"Maybe it was a place to party?" one of the tourists suggested. Nadie tilted her head a little in acknowledgement.

"It is possible that it may have been used as a location for celebration and revelry, but the layout of the ruins doesn't quite match that theory. This place boasts multiple rooms that seemed to have served as armories and what appear to be prisons. There's also what looks to be a gladiatorial arena that is reminiscent to the Holodome, the only other Eridian-made stadium akin to this one that we've seen."

"You sure there's nothing left to find here?" a different tourist asked. The Siren laughed.

"I've crawled all over these ruins myself. No, there's nothing left here to find." She turned away to look up at the towering back stone walls. "Well, whatever the reason for this place's existence, one thing is clear—it was intended to house hundreds, if not thousands, of Eridian."

Silence descended in the truck at that point as Nadie let the enormous structures speak for themselves. For simple stone, the ruins had a lot to say—they spoke of frequent activity, of gatherings that would leave wide-spread ripples across a whole culture. They told of events that would shake the galaxies and span across a galactic empire. The walls that stretched up toward the top of the canon perpetually darkened the grounds around its base, and the magnitude and majesty of the coliseum could make even the most confident man feel small.

Even if it did turn out that this place was the equivalent of a frat party house, Nadie had to acknowledge that the Eridians did everything big.

The truck came to a stop at a large clearing that might have at one point been a courtyard. There was an expectant murmur from the tourists.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen, we're officially in the central ruins. We'll be stopping here for about forty-five minutes or so. You are welcome to get off the truck and go poke around, enjoy the sights, take those angled pictures of you dwarfing one of the Eridian warrior statues—go ahead, everyone does it. I promise, I won't tell." She held a finger up to her lips and winked confidentially. "If you're hungry, Frank's food and refreshment stand is right over there. I know, it's not really an awe-inspiring name, but the food is good, I can assure you."

"I'll endorse that," Jack piped up. "This particular bullymong has excellent taste."

"Love you, too," Nadie replied dryly as she blew him a teasing kiss. She turned back to her audience. "If any of you are interested in a tour deeper into the ruins, you can speak to the gentleman and lady right over there at that booth," she gestured, "and they'll set you up. Just be aware, you'll be coming back with a different tour, so don't expect to see my bright and shiny face. Now, shoo and go enjoy yourselves. I'll be here if you need anything or have any questions."

The Siren stepped aside to allow the gawking tourists out of the truck and then turned to watch Hyperion's president straighten before closing the distance between them.

"So, babe, when do I get my own personal VIP tour?" he inquired, stepping right up to her. She felt her back hit the glove compartment of the truck as he leaned into her. The Siren grinned.

"We're going to have to put that on hold for a while, since _someone_ decided he wanted the standard Erikeep experience. I can't just ditch my tour group."

"Sure you can," he retorted easily, brushing his lips across hers. "You know I'm worth it."

"Um…?" Dylan protested from beside them, uncomfortably close to the couple.

"All right, sweetie, let's go take a walk," the Siren said with a laugh, taking Jack's hand and stepping down out of the truck. "We're scaring the wildlife."

"Ask me if I care, sweet cheeks," the president retorted, but he followed her easily enough. They stepped down into the sand and he took the lead, slowly making his way through the ruins amongst the black stone statutes. It wasn't long before one of the tourists cautiously approached the CEO to greet him, and Jack immediately responded to the young woman's hail. That acknowledgment got all the visitors' attentions, and it wasn't long before the president was surrounded by a group of excited tourists all enthused to be speaking to a company leader and legend. The Siren drew back and watched the masked man in amusement; there was no arguing that he was a socialite at heart, and he clearly adored being in the limelight. That wicked sense of humor lashed out at random individuals, and his charisma and sharp wit had anyone not under the knife consumed by mirth.

To be honest, Nadie enjoyed watching him work. He indulged in social interaction in a way that the Siren didn't really understand and knew she'd never have the patience for, but it was clear he loved being the center of attention. It was amazing the way he could rapidly take people from laughter to chagrined to frustrated to awestruck. He was a thunderstorm, a natural disaster—you could see him coming, but there was no avoiding him.

He glanced up at her suddenly and flashed her a quick grin before turning to his enraptured audience. The president waved his hands at them in a shooing motion.

"All right, all right, that's enough. I know I'm awesome, but I'm here on vacation with my girlfriend, and I'm due a private tour."

Across the way, Nadie frowned. The tourists let out varying noises of disappointment, but they scattered, allowing the masked man to make his way over to her.

"I told you I can't just ditch my tour group," she pointed out, trying very hard not to let her grin show.

"Oh, come on, babe. You said we had forty-five minutes. That's enough time to go get into some trouble." He stopped right before her, close enough she could feel the heat his body gave off. The smile she had been fighting broke out across her lips.

"Once you're involved, I'm always in trouble," she laughed as one of her hands brushed across his chest. He caught it.

"That's because you can't get enough of me," he retorted, bringing her hand up to brush his lips across it.

"So true," the Siren agreed. He smirked triumphantly and then turned to look toward the coliseum proper.

"Arena, huh?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Though, to be honest, I'm not sold on the idea that it was used for gladiatorial events."

"Oh?" He looked back at her curiously.

"The layout doesn't quite… well, come on, let me show you."

The green haired woman started for the main ruins and Jack followed after her. The hallways that led through the walls to the center were high ceilinged like they were expected to accommodate incredibly tall individuals or entities that could fly. The path was clearly well-kept and swept clean of any litter or debris; it was obvious this was a commonly visited location, but there were no visitors within the amphitheater when they entered. The arena's main floor was raised a few inches from the hallway and was encircled by elevated rows of stadium seating. Across the way about halfway up the seating was a flat segment where guests or individuals of importance might be stationed, but it was to the center of the arena floor itself that Nadie gestured.

"This odd thing is why I don't think this place was used for matches."

Sitting in the very middle of the coliseum was a pedestal with a flat circular stone disk atop it like someone had taken a slice out of a sphere and attached it to the plinth at a gentle angle. Jack walked up to it with Nadie after him and looked it over. The surface was smooth, bereft of any kind of runes or markings and was of the same black rock material most Eridian structures were designed out of.

"What is it?" he asked. She shrugged.

"I'unno. We've never been able to figure it out. It doesn't do anything, doesn't have any designs on it, and, funny as it is to say, we've never found any kind of instruction manual."

The president brushed his hands across the top of the disk with his fingers. He placed both palms on it as he stood before it, a thoughtful expression on his face. Nadie gestured to the disk.

"We thought it might be a podium or something at first, but it's a strange design with an awful lot of surface space if that's what it is."

Jack shook his head.

"It's a little too tall to be comfortable, but it seems more like a control panel or some such." He continued studying the surface for a few moments, sliding his hands across it experimentally. Nadie watched him curiously.

"That idea had occurred to us as well, but we've never been able to turn it on or activate it if that is the case."

He glanced over his shoulder at her.

"Did you try using your power on it? Sirens seem to have an odd relationship with Eridian tech."

"Yeah, Darrell thought of that, too. Sadly, no go. It doesn't respond at all."

She walked over to him while he frowned irritably at it and crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his fingers on one arm.

"I know you say there's nothing left here to find, babe, but I'm not sure I believe that."

She chuckled as she replied, "I'm not sure I believe it either, honestly."

The Siren watched as he went back to his perusal of the pedestal, clearly looking for some trick to activating it. She gave him a few minutes before she slid up to him.

"Hey, we can come back and you can play with this thing until your heart's content later, but we don't have much time left before I need to be back on the truck. You can either come with me or you can stay here by yourself and keep futzing with this thing."

He glanced at her with a sidelong smirk.

"You're really going to abandon me for your little tour? You're going to choose them over me? That is a blow to my ego, babe."

"Oh, don't be like that," she retorted with a laugh and stepped up into his chest between him and the Eridian artifact. "You know you'll always be the sun of my solar system. It just happens that my orbit is a little elliptical, is all."

He laughed and leaned down to kiss her.

"Cute, sweet cheeks."

"I aim to please."

One of his arms snaked around her and tucked her close as he brushed his lips across hers, and she wrapped her arms about his neck in response. As he indulged in her taste, he swept an arm under her legs and half set, half propped her against the flat surface of the disk. She giggled and released her grip on him to place her hands on the stone's surface for support to keep herself from sliding.

The moment the fingers of her left hand hit the stone warmed by the afternoon sun, a spark of electricity shot through them. She gasped and tugged her hand away and Jack looked down sharply to see what had turned his lover's attention from him. Pale ripples of purple energy played across the stone, fading quickly as Nadie scrambled to get off the disk and out of his grip.

"Yeouch!"

"Wait, wait, babe!" he protested and caught her hand. She stopped immediately, looking over her left palm.

"Sorry, I'm ok. It just surprised me."

Jack didn't look back at her, his eyes locked to the stone disk. The surface had returned to its blank state.

"Babe, would you please?" he inquired, tugging her gently to him and the pedestal once more. She reluctantly followed his lead and stepped back up to the artifact. When she didn't immediately touch it again, he turned his gaze on her.

"Sweet cheeks?"

It was definitely a question, but the Siren could hear an echo of command in the pet name. She brushed her hands together and prepared herself.

"Here goes."

Without giving herself a chance to second guess the decision, she placed her palm on the surface of the disk once more. The moment her skin made contact with the stone, she felt that pulse of energy go through her. Expecting it this time, the sensation was more hair-raising than painful and amethyst runes illuminated across the disk. The text began to blink gently while simultaneously Nadie's Siren markings started to glow in a matching purple, though the edges were tinged with green and gold.

"Holy crap…" she breathed softly, enthralled with the sight of the active Eridian artifact. Jack drew so close to her that he brushed against her.

"I thought you said it didn't respond to your Siren powers." He leaned down to study the text which continued to fade in and out slowly like it was waiting for something.

"It didn't," the green haired woman insisted. "It has to be something to do with the Heart."

During the events of the Vault Key's theft two months prior, one of the former Vault Hunters, the Siren Maya, had stumbled upon another Eridian artifact known as the Heart of Pandora. Said to give its possessor the power to control the animals of the planet, it in fact allowed her communication with said fauna as well as command of them. When Maya had been killed by the Siren Asha to wrench the artifact from the former's possession, it had come into Nadie's hands by the timely intervention of Tiny Tina. Since then, Nadie had experimented with it lightly, trying to figure out the full spectrum of power it offered, but between leading a department, meeting representatives of other gun companies, and rebuilding Opportunity in the wake of the battle two months prior, she'd not had much chance to learn more about it.

"Well, look at that," Jack breathed and he touched a series of runes. The text immediately brightened and Eridian words began to appear and scroll up to the top of the disk and then off into the air, floating around the edges like a display projecting above a keyboard. Symbols quickly flickered from one to the next as data flowed across the manifested screen, and diagrams of different creatures appeared in a semicircle before them, Eridian notes quickly scrawling beside each one.

"What the hell is this?" Nadie asked softly, unconsciously pulling her hand off the stone. Whatever activation the artifact had needed clearly had been satisfied and it remained on when the Siren reclaimed her hand.

"That's the Warrior," Jack observed, gesturing to one of the diagrams. "And the Destroyer's over there." He did a quick sweep of the information on the screen.

"What is this thing?" Nadie asked, touching another of the beasts she didn't recognize. The screen responded to the contact, and the unnamed creature was brought up front and center.

"I dunno, babe," the president replied. "I've never seen it before."

The Eridian text changed quickly as it highlighted random details about the creature, an action that would be far more useful if either of them could read the language. The beast was humanoid in shape, resembling a more masculine build with broad shoulders and thick arms, and it looked akin to the stories of golems or elementals she had been told. Its face was flat with two glowing points of light that might have been its eyes, one atop the other. Sharp luminescent lines ran across it chest, coming to a central circular crystal set into the creature's chest. The Eridian text scrawled out more notes, drawing a line to that point, calling attention to some detail or other about it.

"It must be another guardian of a Vault," Jack almost purred, rubbing his chin as he studied the beast.

"There are more Vaults?" She looked up at him with a crooked eyebrow.

"Oh, babe, this planet is littered with them. Now, how the hell do we get this thing to tell us where it is?"

"Beats me. I can't read the language."

Jack frowned at that answer even though she knew he was already aware of that. A slight smile curled her lips—her boyfriend could be worse about tunnel vision than a bullymong with a shiny prize.

Just as nasty when someone tried to take it away, too.

"Look, sweetie, we happen to have two of the most well-versed Eridian experts in this town. If anyone can make heads or tails of this, it'll be Pops and Patricia."

He looked over at her.

"Well, call them and get them down here!"

"Normally, I would, but two things: one, I saw Pops taking a tour group up as we got down here, which means he'll be surrounded by people. You know he is not a quiet man. We'd probably like to control the environment he's in when we tell him."

"And two?" Jack sighed.

"I still have to take my group back up," she pointed out, gesturing in the direction of the truck. "And the longer we wait, the more likely one of them will wander in here and see _this_."

He groaned and tapped his foot in the dirt.

"I suppose you're right… Can you turn this thing off? Preferably not in a permanent manner."

"I promise, I'll be gentle."

She cautiously placed her hand on the console again and concentrated on it. After a moment, she felt her power brush across something, and the floating Eridian text returned to the stone's surface before disappearing. The artifact became a blank slate once more.

"I can't believe tourists are coming between me and a Vault," Jack grumbled. Nadie patted his chest encouragingly.

"Welcome to an economy powered by money rather than discovery."


	6. Chapter 05

(Author's Note: Sorry for the late posting… We just got a new puppy and life's been a bit hectic. Enjoy!)

/

/

The Siren led the way back to the truck while Jack muttered unkind things behind her. As she passed her errant tour group members, she ushered them back toward the vehicle. It took them only a few minutes to get settled back in and a quick headcount assured Nadie everyone was present and accounted for.

"What's with him?" Dylan asked softly as the truck slowed to a stop on the freight elevator to begin its assent to Erikeep. He jerked his head slightly toward the back. "You two were in a decent enough moods when you left."

"Don't mind him," Nadie responded. "He's just upset that he's been told he has to wait to play with his new toy."

"What?"

"Nothing."

After a few minutes, the truck rolled off the freight elevator and rumbled down the well-worn path into town. Nadie looked back and gave the tourists a brilliant smile.

"Well, thank you all for having come visit and taking our tour, we appreciate your time… though we appreciate the money more." She winked coyly at her audience and got dry laughter in response. "I do hope you'll continue to enjoy our town's hospitality. Be sure to say hi to Ms. Evans in the tavern and have her cook you a meal if you haven't. It's amazing!"

Dylan brought the truck to a halt by the drop off point and turned to look at the people who he had been driving around for over an hour.

"Thanks for coming, everyone!" he said, the first words he had spoken to the group since they got into the truck. Nadie stepped aside to allow the tourists access to the stairs out of the vehicle, and it wasn't long before only three people remained: Dylan, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel nervously, Nadie, watching the man in the back closely, and Jack, wearing a thoughtful expression.

"Sweetheart?" she asked carefully.

"Hm? Ah, good, we can finally go find our scientists." He stood and brushed off his pants before coming over to her.

"It's not often I see you lost in thought," the Siren chuckled as they exited the truck. "Thanks, Dylan!"

"You're welcome, Nadie," the driver replied, and if he sounded a little morose, Nadie didn't seem to notice it.

The pair stepped down and began making their way back into town, passing people who stopped everything they were doing to greet the president. Jack responded to them, but his mind was clearly back in the ruins with an Eridian artifact.

"Ok, babe," he finally began, frowning. "Where exactly are we going? You could call him just to find out where he is."

"I suppose that's true…" the Siren responded slowly, crinkling her nose as she considered it.

Whatever else she might have said was interrupted by a deep male's voice cutting through the ambient noise of the town ordering, "That's enough!" Nadie and Jack exchanged concerned looks.

"I don't think I've ever heard Dad use that tone of voice," the green haired woman observed worriedly before turning to dart through the crowd in the direction of Lawson. Jack followed swiftly after the Siren. Normally, he would poke fun at her father, citing some remark about his bullymong behavior, but the genuine look of unease on his girlfriend's face made him bite back any commentary that sprang to mind. While he loved riling her up, it was rare that she was this instantly serious, and he was willing to give her fear the benefit of the doubt.

They came to a halt when they found the source of the commotion. A wide ring of space had opened in the middle of the street around the sheriff whose back was ramrod straight, his shoulders rising and falling faster than normal. Behind him was his deputy, Valnea Cheval, looking like she wasn't sure if she should restrain her superior or the object of his attention. Standing before him was a figure, clearly a woman, but all Jack could see was a long, elegant sundress in a soft violet and a large hat in a matching color with a sweeping feather arcing out of it to dance in the air.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Jack warned her as he stepped out of the crowd toward her, grinning. "That particular bullymong doesn't play well with others."

The woman turned gracefully to meet his gaze, and one lock of hair slipped out from its confines to curl down her cheek. Jack found himself looking at a mirror image of Nadie's face, albeit older. His eyes widened while she blinked twice and then gave him a brilliant smile in that same way his girlfriend did when something had surprised her and she wasn't sure how to respond yet.

"Well, well, Handsome Jack," she greeted warmly. Her voice wasn't an identical match to Nadie's, however—it was smooth and dark, the kind of voice you would love to hear whisper sweet nothings to you in the middle of the night.

He instantly didn't trust it.

"I wasn't expecting to meet you here…" she began, but trailed off when she spotted Nadie stepping up beside him,

"My goodness, Nadalie. You've grown into quite the fetching young woman."

"Amelia," Nadie all but snarled in response. The other woman put her hands to her hips and curled her lips in a pout.

"Now, is that any way to talk to your mother?"

"You lost that title when you tried to sell me all those years ago," the Siren growled. Not breaking his gaze of the new woman, Jack reached out to touch Nadie's arm gently. She was shaking in rage.

Amelia sighed. "Yes, that was short sighted of me. I've grown to regret that attempt. You would have been far more useful to me if I had kept you close and forged you into a tool at my beck and call."

 _"You!"_ Nadie howled and lunged at the older woman. Jack caught her arm and yanked her back sharply into his chest to restrain her.

"Nadie! No!" He tucked her up against him tightly as she struggled.

"Nadie!" Lawson ordered tightly, the name coming through clenched teeth.

"Stop, it's not worth it," Jack whispered in her ear hurriedly, keeping his voice low. "You can't—not here, not now."

"But she—" the Siren protested, gasping as she writhed in his grip. The markings across her side were beginning to glow their amethyst color, and like before, green and gold tinged the edges.

"I know," he assured her gently, but firmly. "Don't worry, we'll deal with it. But not now."

Still glowering at the woman who had given birth to her, the Siren slumped in his arms. He squeezed her once in reassurance, brushing his lips across her cheek as he turned to look back at their unwelcome visitor.

Amelia was studying the pair curiously, unfazed by her daughter's rage, and a satisfied grin curled her lips as she watched the pair's gestures of affection and trust.

"My, my. The president of Hyperion? You definitely _are_ my daughter."

Nadie surged forward again, but Jack kept his grip on her.

"Amelia," a female voice broke in. The lady in her hat sighed and rolled her eyes toward Ryanne as the other woman arrived on the scene. The mayor stared at the violet eyed woman darkly. In response, Amelia conjured up an insincere smile.

"Why, hello, Ryanne."

"What are you doing here?" Ryanne demanded, her distaste thinly veiled.

"I told you never to come back," Lawson cut in. "You've got some nerve showing your face round here."

"Oh, don't be like that," Amelia said with a gently rebuking tone. "I was invited."

"Like hell," Lawson grunted.

"I was," Amelia retorted with a simple shrug. "By the Hero of Pandora, no less."

Jack suddenly found himself the center of attention and not in a way he typically enjoyed. Nadie pulled free of his arms, backing up a few paces, staring at him in horror.

"You did what?!"

"That had best be a lie," Lawson stated in a low rumble, his eyes locking to the president's. The sheriff's voice promised a very violent, very final resolution to the conflict if it was not.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," the masked man hastily said, holding his hands up as if to ward off a blow. "Trust me, the last thing I would do is invite my girlfriend's estranged mother to a festival she's been excited about for a month. I'd be lucky if the worst thing she did to me was dump me."

Lawson stared hard at him while Nadie narrowed her eyes. Jack huffed irritably.

"Oh, come on! Seriously?!"

"He is being honest, you know," Amelia added. "I'm sure he had no idea who they'd be sending."

The trio looked over at her.

"Who exactly sent you, Mother?" Nadie growled. Amelia glanced at her daughter and then turned back to Hyperion's president.

"Handsome Jack, pleased to meet you. My name is Amelia Mae Tediore, wife to Julio Tomás Martin Tediore. I have come as Tediore's representative."

"What?!" Nadie demanded.

"Ah… Nice to meet you, Mrs… Tediore," Jack responded after a moment of struggle as he quickly sorted through proper and improper responses. "You are a tad early."

"This is true," the older woman acknowledged with a slight sigh. "I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. I had some… personal matters to attend to."

"You've attended to them," Ryanne interrupted. "Now, be so kind as to get the hell out of my town."

Amelia didn't look evenly vaguely affronted at the mayor's tone. She just smiled.

"My, my, Ryanne. Such aggression. You've come a long way from the soft spoken poor girl I once knew."

Ryanne's lips thinned, but before she could retort, Amelia turned back to Jack.

"It seems I've caused quite the stir. I will excuse myself from your presence and will refrain from interfering any further until our scheduled meeting. It's been a pleasure. See you in a few days, Handsome Jack." She twisted lightly on her heel and glided away through the crowd, moving smoothly and with more grace than anyone her age had the right to.

The moment she was out of sight, Lawson spun sharply and stalked away toward the sheriff's office.

"Lawson!" Ryanne called worriedly, but the big man gave no heed and vanished into the building. Valnea looked at her and shook her head sharply, indicating the mayor shouldn't follow him.

"I'm going to go kill something," Nadie decreed flatly and started for the town's wall.

"Babe!" Jack protested. Following in her father's behavioral footsteps, she didn't answer. Instead, she sped up toward the wall from a quick stalk to a full run. Right before she hit the wall, her wings flared wide and she leapt up to a nearby rooftop and then over the barrier in an act of inhuman athleticism.

Jack groaned and crossed his arms over his chest, realizing it was going to be even longer before he got to work with the artifact.

"Well, fuck."

"Come with me," Ryanne said with a sigh. The president looked over at her.

"Oh, is this where we have our heart to heart and get the broken family flashback?" he asked dryly. Ryanne frowned.

"No, this is where I offer you a shot of vodka. I'm going to go have one. This new development is going to make my life… well, _difficult_ is an understatement. Are you coming?"

"Yeah, sign me up." He followed after her as she led him into the town.

/

/

Ryanne's home was smaller than the Tirrells' house, with only a cozy front room, a kitchen, and presumably a bedroom in the back. The place looked far more lived in, however, offering a cushy couch covered in soft blankets, knickknacks and photos on an end table against the wall, and cooking ware that looked well loved. The mayor led him into the kitchen and gestured to the wooden dining table.

"Have a seat, sir."

Jack dropped into one of the chairs, studying the table curiously. It looked like it was hand carved and had stood in its spot for some time. Ryanne put two shot glasses on the table and filled both from a crystal decanter that was probably worth more than everything in the kitchen added together. She put the stopper in the bottle and set it aside before sitting across from him.

"Salud," she toasted after picking up the glass. He lifted his and tapped it against hers.

"What the hell was that about?" he asked as he watched her knock back the shot. She refilled her glass, frowning deeply.

"With all due respect, I thought you didn't want the flashback." She swallowed the second shot and refilled the glass once more before looking at him across the table.

"Call me curious," the president replied. "I can count on one hand the number of times Nadie has talked about her mom."

"Well, unfortunately for you, I don't know much about the incident. The Tirrells have always been really close-lipped about it, even more so than they normally are about their personal lives."

"That's because neither of them _have_ personal lives," Jack muttered and emptied his glass. Ryanne tilted her hand in acknowledgment of his point.

"Be that as it may, there are some topics that will shut those two down faster than you can say 'lights out.' That's one of them."

"So what do you know?" Jack helped himself to the decanter and refilled his glass.

"As you're aware, Lawson was dispatched to Erikeep to protect the mining site and its workers. Being a long-term assignment, he and his wife, Amelia, both moved here. They seemed happy enough, and it wasn't long before Nadie was born. A few years passed in relative peace, and then one day there was a commotion. You have to understand, I wasn't the mayor then or really anyone of importance, so I heard the same way everyone else did—by the noise and outrage that ran through the town. I arrived in time to find Lawson had ushered Amelia to the shuttle landing zone at gunpoint. Dahl hadn't abandoned us then, so there were frequent drop offs of supplies and occasionally new miners who had come seeking their fortune, and a shuttle was still in dock. Lawson ordered Amelia to get on the ship and never come back. Nadie was clinging to his leg, bawling her eyes out like the world was going to end and Amelia… She just sighed like the whole situation was some grand inconvenience." Ryanne clenched her hands around each other and the shot glass tightly and a scowl took her lips. "I mean, that woman had everything—a loving husband willing to die for her, a wonderful, precocious daughter incessantly curious about the world… I can't imagine what would possess her to throw it all away. And she didn't have the decency to look upset or remorseful about it." Ryanne's words were short, all but spat through clenched teeth. While she spoke, Jack had stood and walked through the small house curiously, studying the odds and ends in the front room. He stopped at the little end table and looked over the myriad of photos across it; many were of people he recognized as townsfolk, though a few were unfamiliar to him. He picked up a framed photograph toward the front of Lawson and Nadie. The green haired girl looked like she was about seven or eight and was perched on her father's shoulder, his hat on her head and dropping over one eye. Lawson was staring at the photo taker with a flat look, clearly not impressed, but Nadie had the smile of a girl plotting her conquest of the world. Jack noted silently that the frame around the picture was more detailed than many of the others. He held up the moment and looked back at the mayor.

"You have a thing for him, don't you?"

Ryanne, who had been refilling her glass, nearly dropped the decanter. She cursed as the liquor spilled across the table, her cheeks blazing red. Jack laughed and stepped back into the kitchen quickly to help clean up the spill.

"You know, there are people who'd consider that alcohol abuse," he teased.

"You know, there are people who'd say you're sticking your nose in places it doesn't belong," she snapped back testily. His brows crooked up and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Now, now," he chided warningly. The mayor took a slow breath.

"Sorry, sir. That woman brings out the worst in me."

"You and quite a few others, I'm noticing."

Ryanne sighed, her palms resting against the table.

"You have to understand, the topic of Amelia has been one of rumor and debate for years. The fact the Tirrells have never come forward with what happened has not helped, and it's doubly compounded by the fact that a lot of people _liked_ Amelia. She's smart, beautiful, quick thinking… Her charisma and pleasant demeanor charmed many of the townsfolk. She's dangerous, sir, incredibly so, and if she's here, it's not for one reason or even two. You can bet she has a to-do list and she's eager to check it off."

"Why do you think she's here?" he questioned. Ryanne looked down at her shot glass for a moment before knocking it back.

"I don't know. But I can guarantee you it does not bode well for Nadie or Lawson. And if Amelia is mixed up with the major companies, it probably doesn't bode well for you, either."

Jack "hmed" thoughtfully as he stared down at the decanter, not really seeing it. Ryanne filled her glass once more and then put it away.

"You should probably go after Nadie. She's likely cooled off by now."

Jack's lips curled into a half smile.

"Ah, my little bullymong inherited her father's temper, that's for sure."

"No," the mayor replied, shaking her head. "She inherited her mother's."


	7. Chapter 06

It was rare that Nadie cursed her existence as a Siren. As much as it had meant years of keeping the marks hidden and endeavoring not to get caught using her power, she almost never wished that she was other than she was.

Today, however, was not one of those days. She did not wish that she was no longer a Siren—those desires were far in the past. What she did wish was that her power was something more aggressive. The young woman wanted nothing more than to destroy something in an awe-inspiring display of power, even if there wasn't anyone around to appreciate it, but her gift of healing didn't quite cut it. She contented herself with releasing the limitations on her body and slamming her fists into large boulders, leaving deep cracks behind in the wake of the impact. The lacerations in her skin mended nearly instantly, shattered bones knit together in a matter of heartbeats, and it was still not enough to quell the raging tempest in her heart.

Eventually, the Siren gave up, her shoulders sagging as she panted in exertion.

 _"You are noisy, kit."_

The voice was soft and haunting, and the words seemed to appear inside her head. Nadie froze and then looked around slowly, seeking the origin of the invasive thought. There was nothing around her but sand and rock.

"Where are you?" the Siren demanded.

 _"Right before you."_

For a moment, there was no change, and then suddenly, an odd twist in the air manifested in front of her like some mirage. As the effect faded, it revealed a stalker settled in the sand, half again her height even crouched down as it was. Nadie gulped.

"Uh… hi. How can I help you?"

Since bonding with the Heart of Pandora, the Siren had dealt with and spoken to animals that called the planet home, but never anything of this magnitude. The stalker's voice was strange, too—when speaking, most animals made their normal churring or chittering sounds and she just instinctively understood them. However, the stalker before her made no external noise other than a low thrum, yet its voice came through her skull like the ever-constant ocean's waves rolling upon the shore, there and not and then there again.

 _"I was going to ask the same of you, kit."_

Her. Definitely a female voice. Nadie had thought stalkers were genderless since they reproduced asexually, but there was no denying the strength of the feminine presence that came off the beast.

The stalker rose out of the sand and slowly approached her, the creature's claws sinking into the soft ground. These particular beasts were not known for inhabiting this kind of area—they were typically found in the Highlands and in wetter climes. She dropped her blunt face down into Nadie's to study the Siren, which gave the green haired woman ample time to return the favor.

The stalker's nose was smooth and her wedge shaped head was pointed directly at the Siren. Bioluminescent markings detailed the creature's face and decorated her skin. The stalker stood on four legs, the back muscular and built for propelling the body forward at high speeds. The front pair was elongated, the main bones arcing up and away from her chest, and a panel of skin stretched from her side to the furthest fingertip, giving the stalker a set of wings meant for gliding as opposed to flying. Behind her, a barbed tail swung gently back and forth. The bioluminescent markings that lined her nose and forehead shifted colors; pink, then red, then blue.

 _"You are noisy,"_ the stalker said again. _"And noisy kits draw hunters."_ She looked passed Nadie at Erikeep and then returned her dark eyed gaze to the human woman.

 _"You are upset. You feel threatened, thus the Spirit of the Land feels threatened. I came to its aid."_

"Spirit of the Land? You mean the Heart of Pandora? You know about it?" Nadie asked, mouth agape. As much as any animal had a level of intelligence and awareness it demonstrated, none had come even vaguely close to the force of will and knowledge of the world this creature showed.

Suddenly, a bell that had been ringing softly in the back of the Siren's head went off at full volume.

"You were there, weren't you? You were the stalker who saved Tina and me from the thresher when we were fighting Asha!"

The stalker let out a huff and her markings shifted in color to orange.

 _"Worms,"_ she spat. _"This is not their home. They should know their place. I will eat them whenever I can. Yes, kit."_ She dropped her head and tapped her nose against the top of Nadie's head, her markings going back to azure once more. _"I was there. The Spirit called, but its voice was weak. I almost did not hear it. But I came. And I saw the Kith fight amongst themselves. I saw the Kith shed each other's blood. But I would not allow harm to fall to the Spirit, no matter which Kith held it."_

"Kith? You're talking about us Sirens, aren't you?" Nadie held her left hand up to the beast, exposing the blue tattoos that ran across her skin. The stalker let out a low rumble.

 _"Kith, Siren, Child, Kit, Scion… You are beyond name, beyond control, beyond death. You are old, kit, even as you are young."_

The stalker cocked her head to the side as she regarded Nadie.

 _"You are still weak, but you have promise. Your claws have not yet toughened. Your sight has not yet sharpened. But I can see you are a hunter."_ She looked over at the cracks left by the Siren's rage in the rock.

 _"I shall teach you,"_ the stalker decreed. _"You shall learn to hunt and stalk and kill. I shall teach you to walk as one with the Spirit and to work its will. None will see you coming."_

Nadie struggled with a response for a moment, trying to figure out what to say to a five ton predator that had decided it would mentor you whether you wanted it or not. The stalker went on in that silence.

 _"My name is Nahnish. The soft folk call me Huntress."_ She lashed her talk back and forth a couple of times, giving off the impression that she was pleased with the title.

"Um, nice to meet you, Nahnish. My name is Nadalie."

 _"Nadalie…"_ the stalker repeated. _"I had a kit named Nadaal. The soft folk took her from me."_ The bioluminescent markings shifted to red and then a pale green.

 _"They have taken many kits from me."_

Nahnish's voice was soft and there was an undeniable tone of sadness in it. Nadie couldn't help feeling the pang of sympathy for a mother who had lost her children.

"Babe!" a male voice called suddenly. The Siren looked up in surprise at Jack's hail, and when she turned back, the stalker had vanished.

 _"I will find you, kit. We will begin soon."_

"Here you are," Jack greeted as he hopped off one of the large rocks to join her. "You've been… busy." His gaze went to the cracks in the stone.

"I was venting," she replied, shrugging a little in embarrassment.

"Is it safe to approach the bullymong?" he asked, smiling teasingly. Nadie sniffed.

"Since there isn't one here, I don't think you're in any danger."

He approached her and tucked her into his embrace, making sure he had a sturdy grip on her before replying, "Right, right. I sometimes forget you're only part bullymong."

"Hey!" the Siren protested, halfheartedly struggling in his arms. He laughed and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"I'm glad you're in a better mood," he said. She settled back into his embrace and buried her face into his chest.

"I think I'm ready to go home now," she stated, voice muffled in his vest.

"You all done with your festival?"

"I'm not in the mood to celebrate anymore. I want to go home and go back to work. I want to make sure Michael and Alexander haven't burned down the lab."

He placed his palm on her head and began stroking her hair gently while she clung to him silently for a long while. Finally, she spoke again.

"I don't know what possessed you to come out here, but thank you. This would likely have gone very badly if you hadn't been."

"Well, you'll have to thank Jimmy for that when we get back, sweet cheeks. He threatened me with more paperwork if I didn't go find something to do."

Nadie leaned back and peered up at him suspiciously.

"What were you up to? You must have been causing quite the stir if he was trying to get you to do paperwork."

"I wasn't doing anything," Jack grumbled, "which was sort of the problem." He sighed. "Ok, cards on the table, babe. Some of the data we've been reading off the Vault Key had indicated there might be another Vault somewhere about. Problem is, no one has been able to figure out any other information about it."

"So, what you're saying is Mister Blake needed you out of Opportunity so people could get their work done."

"Sweet cheeks!" Jack protested woundedly. "Are you suggesting I am anything less than an excellent motivator?"

"Oh no, you are, but you're also a terrifying force of pressure when you're intently focused on someone. People panic and make mistakes out of fear of disappointing you."

"As long as they don't disappoint me, they'll be fine," Jack replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Nadie smiled.

"I think they realize that."

"Then just don't do it!"

The Siren laughed softly.

"Sometimes, that's harder than you'd think. Come on. I want to check on my dad, and then we'll go get Patricia and Pops so they can start to study that artifact."

 _"Finally,"_ the president grumbled.

/

/

"Patricia! Come look at this!" Darrell Dobos called. The aforementioned scientist sighed as she made her way to the artifact.

"I have requested on several occasions that you do not address me in such a familiar manner," Patricia Tanis stated firmly, her lips twisting in distaste. Darrell waved a soothing hand, not looking away from the active Eridian artifact.

"Yes, yes, I am sorry, force of habit and all that. But come look at this!"

The former Dahl scientist crossed her arms over her chest irritably, but joined her colleague in his study.

"I take it he's who you picked that up from?" Jack asked Nadie. She glanced over at him.

"Picked up what from?"

"Calling her Patricia. I've never heard anyone else refer to her that way."

"Oh yeah. I have no idea how that got started. It's just how he's always talked about her, and I guess I picked it up from him."

Jack looked back at the duo.

"So, what can you tell us about it?" the president demanded of the scientists. Darrell looked up.

"Uh, it's on?"

Jack frowned at him and Nadie touched his arm quickly.

"Not helping, Pops."

Darrell shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know what else you want me to say. It's never been active before, this is my first time looking at it, and I haven't even been able to touch it yet."

"Give us your first impressions."

The older man let out a slow breath through his teeth and looked at Tanis for a moment.

"Well," he began, "it's clearly a database of some kind. Hold on, hold on, I'm not done!" he hastily continued when he saw the look on Jack's face. "Its location indicates it was probably used as some sort of device for lectures. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say the projection effect of the text we're seeing now probably can extend to encompass the entirety of the coliseum."

"As far as the information on the Vault Guardians goes, we'll need time to learn the navigation of the system and decipher the data," Tanis continued. "I'd be most intrigued to find another Vault, but we are sorely lacking in details on its location or any indication of whether the Key in your possession will do to open it."

"You don't say," Jack grumbled dryly.

"Look, sir, it's not that we're not willing to help," Darrell assured the president. "Trust me, we both want to get to the bottom of this. It would give us invaluable insight into this place, and it looks like it might very well be the largest repository of Eridian knowledge we've ever seen."

"It's just that you don't know how to use it," Nadie supplied.

"Yet," Darrell stressed, raising a finger in emphasis. "But to fix 'yet,' we need time."

Jack stared at the scientists for a long moment, clearly debating his options, but he finally sighed.

"Fine. I'll give you until my meeting with the Tediore rep is dealt with."

Nadie hissed a little and it was the president's turn to brush a hand across her arm. The Siren quieted and he turned back to the former Dahl scientists.

"That should give you about a week, which should be enough time to figure _something_ out."

"We'll do our best," Darrell said.

"Do better than that," Hyperion's president ordered. "Find me something." He shifted his gaze to his girlfriend.

"You ready to go home?"

"I cannot stress how ready to go home I am."

"Good," he nodded. "Because now that I know the Heart interacts with your Siren powers, we're going to go test something I should have started experimenting with some time ago."

"Uh oh," she said worriedly.


	8. Chapter 07

"Come on, Nadie," Jack began encouragingly. The Siren was glaring at the Vault Key where it floated over its pedestal like it had personally wronged her. The pair were standing in one of the high security labs surrounded by a team of scientists that were chattering excitedly amongst each other and running from one computer panel to the next.

"I don't want to," the green haired woman growled irritably, not shifting her visual lock on the Key.

"Sweet cheeks…" he soothed, stepping up behind her so he could brush his nose against the back of her neck. "For me? I want to see if you can repeat the events at the Crater."

During the recovery of the Vault Key, the Eridian artifact had at one point fallen into the Siren's possession. She had been angry, tired, and frustrated, and in an all or nothing mindset, she had used the Key to command the Warrior, going so far as to pour her Siren power into it. That act had unlocked a function no one had known existed—it temporarily imbued the Warrior with an elemental effect, frost to be specific. It had always been the CEO's intention to experiment with his girlfriend's power and see if he could recreate the instance, but general life had put a pause on the study. However, recent experiences had brought his curiosity back to the forefront.

At her lover's request, Nadie had tried to repeat her activation of the Key twice now. Both times, her power had gotten caught in a feedback loop and then lashed violently back into her palm to leave it numb. She was not anticipating the third time to be the charm and was not looking forward to the pins and needles sensation of her limb healing again.

"I really don't want to," the Siren groaned.

"Babe?" he said again, and she could hear iron beginning to creep into his voice. She sighed.

"Fine. Once more."

The Siren slipped her hand beneath the Key and lifted it, the artifact maintaining a few inches of space between her skin and itself. Jack stepped away to give her room, and Nadie focused fully on the Key, reaching out with her power into the inner workings of the object. Like both times before, she sensed a tug where she knew she could alter the Key, and then there was a sharp pinch in her chest and her strength was drawn from her rapidly. The purple lining of the Vault Key began to glow brightly, and then there was a small detonation of amethyst power as the discharge crackled back into her hand and up her arm. Nadie swore roundly and dropped the Key back into its containment.

"That's it!" she snapped. "It's clear there's some incompatibility between the Heart and the Key. I'm done!"

"Ok, we'll call it for today," Jack agreed, picking up the Vault Key and removing a sliver of metal about as long as his finger that floated within the center of the Key.

"No, we're done," the Siren retorted firmly as he tucked the sliver away into an inner pocket in his jacket. "This hurts, and I'm not a fan of it."

"This from the woman who lets bandit fill her full of lead?" he replied with a laugh. "How is this worse?"

"Hey, I told you, I have to be really pissed before I do that because it does suck." She looked down at her left palm and rubbed it gently.

"Besides, I really need to start taking better care of myself. It's not just me I'm risking anymore."

"I promise, sweet cheeks, I am fine with you helping me out on this," he assured her distractedly as he looked over some of the data on one of the nearby screens. The Siren gave him a half smile.

"Not you, psycho." She hesitated only a heartbeat before she continued, "I'm pregnant."

There was a moment of utter silence and stillness that came over the lab, and then the scientists scattered out of the room swiftly as Jack slowly looked up at her.

"Come again?"

"You heard me."

"Pregnant," he repeated. He seemed to consider that information for a moment, frowning thoughtfully.

"Well, I guess that explains why you've been moody."

There was another uncomfortable moment between them as they stared at each other, and then he let out a slow breath through his teeth as the situation sank in. He approached her slowly, and when she didn't retreat, he slid an arm about her waist and pulled her into his embrace. His free hand caressed down her side and then curled forward to halt with his palm over her belly.

"How far along?"

"About eight weeks," she replied, watching him closely, trying to predict how the next few minutes would go. His gaze remained on his hand and her stomach for several long moments as he pondered the turn of events. Then, a corner of his lip curled upward as he came to a decision.

"Mine."

He looked up at her, taking a breath to speak further, but a soft cough at the door interrupted him.

"I am deeply sorry to interrupt," Mister Blake began gently, "but the Tediore representative just arrived in Opportunity. Greetings must be arranged immediately. I believe congratulations to you both are in order, but I'm afraid any celebration will have to wait."

The president swore.

"That woman has excellent timing," he grumbled. Behind him, Nadie growled softly. Jack looked back at her.

"Hey, babe? Do me a favor. Take your little Lightningbug and Squeaky or anyone and go out and test it in the field."

The Siren blinked in surprise and stared hard at her lover.

"Are… are you exiling me from Opportunity?"

"Not exiling," he replied soothingly. "I just know you haven't gotten to test the thing in a less controlled environment yet, so you should go try it out."

Her eyes narrowed and her lips thinned. The president crossed his arms over his chest.

"Look, sweetie, you've got a vested interest in this event, and it runs counter to the company's goals. Go take a break. Be true to your bullymong self and commune with nature. I don't think I trust your temper to be present for this."

Nadie sputtered. "You don't trust _my_ temper?"

"Yeah," he answered, nodding. "I can't afford to have you kill her here in the middle of Opportunity, and I'm not sure you won't try. As satisfying for you as it would be, and trust me, I know it would be, it would only cause more trouble than it's worth. So go take a walk and cool off. I'll handle this one. I promise, I won't keep you out of the whole ordeal, but I don't think you're ready to see her again."

"But—"

"This is nonnegotiable, babe," he cut in firmly. She could hear steel in his voice. "Leave or don't leave Opportunity, it's up to you, but you will not be present at this first meeting."

Nadie glared at him, shoulders rigid, and he met her accusatory look evenly.

"Bullymong…" he called quietly, a gentle tone coloring the nickname. He watched the angry expression falter and then soften.

"Ok. Ok, I'll stay out of this one. But please don't keep me out. I'll watch my temper."

He closed the distance between them and kissed her.

"I won't. You've been working on these arrangements from almost day one. And trust me, I'll make good on my promise. We'll deal with her. But it's too early for us to just up and kill her. Especially if she is married to the president of Tediore."

That drew a snarl of irritation out of the Siren. Jack chuckled and stepped back to gesture to her.

"See? _That's_ why you're not coming with me."

"She makes me so mad!" Nadie snapped, stomping her foot. "And of course the moment she finds out about us, she makes that snide comment about me being her daughter! She _knew_ that was going to piss me off! I don't want to be her daughter. It's bad enough I look like her and poor Dad's had to deal with that all his life!" Tears started swelling up in her eyes and she began stalking back and forth as she went on, "And to make matters worse, I'm emotional and this is stupid and I hate not having control of my body and the stupid Warrior is too good at his stupid job and there's no bandits nearby for me to kill and this is stupid!" She stopped abruptly, crossing her arms over his chest and sniffled, lost somewhere between kicking a nearby table and bursting into tears. Jack had to bite his lip to not laugh.

"Come here, bullymong." He scooped her up in a hug. "Welcome to the next half a year of an emotional rollercoaster. It will get better."

"I don't believe you," she retorted mournfully from her place buried beneath his chin.

"How about when your mother's six feet under?"

The Siren sniffled a few more times.

"Yeah, I guess that will make it better."

"Good." He kissed her on the top of her head. "Now, go find something relaxing to do. Let me take this one, sweet cheeks. It's not often I get to be the one protecting you. Let me have this moment."

Nadie smiled slightly. "Very well. I'll allow it."

"How considerate of you, babe." He released his girlfriend and turned to begin for the door. "I'll meet you in my office in ten minutes, Jimmy."

"Very good, sir," Mister Blake acknowledged. Both watched him go and then the assistant looked back at Nadie as the Siren frowned at him.

"You know, if he hadn't been at Erikeep, I probably would have killed her," the green haired woman stated darkly. Mister Blake smiled thinly.

"And seeing as what your relationship is with the president, that would have likely started a war between Hyperion and Tediore. We would have won, of course, but it would have been quite costly. So, in short, I'm not apologizing for directing him to you."

"You couldn't have known she was going to be there. Why did you sic him on me?"

Mister Blake stared at her for a moment, obviously considering his words carefully, and then he folded his hands behind his back.

"I do not know what power you have, Ms. Tirrell, nor what spell you have cast over him. Honestly, I don't care. What I do know is that as the length of your absence grew, he began to transition from the man we see now back to the monster known as Handsome Jack. While I have no compunction about dealing with him in such a state, his tendency to randomly order the demise of Hyperion employees negatively impacts morale. Our company is seeing some of its highest profit margins in years. It's in our best interest to maintain that. So, until the effect you have on him changes, consider yourself saddled with him, Ms. Tirrell."

Nadie frowned at him and he stared back at her unflinchingly. After a few heartbeats, she sighed.

"Well, it's a good thing I love him."

"Doubly so, given you're now carrying his child," Mister Blake retorted simply and turned to exit the lab.

"That stays in this room!" the Siren ordered. Mister Blake paused in the doorway.

"I do not have an issue respecting such a request, but did you say the same to the scientists who left here in a flutter? They were speaking quite excitedly about the matter as I passed them in the halls."

Without waiting for her to respond, he left the lab and let the door slide shut. Nadie scowled.

"Oh hell."

/

/

Jack was already seated at the head of the table when Mister Blake led Amelia into the boardroom. The wife of Tediore was dressed in slacks and a deep violet button-down shirt that clung to her sides enough to show she still had a youthful beauty about her, but not so much as to be indecent. She had eschewed her hat, trading it in for clips with intricate beading in her green locks. Behind her was an incredibly short woman with close cut black hair and a pair of round spectacles perched on her nose. She was dressed in a mid-length skirt and silk blouse and carried a datapad beneath her arm. Her whole demeanor screamed "secretary."

"Welcome, Mrs. Tediore!" Jack greeted, gesturing to a seat. The representative smiled demurely.

"Good afternoon, Handsome Jack. This is my assistant, Zoe."

The masked man nodded to the younger woman and watched as they both sat down.

"How is Pandora treating you?" Jack asked politely as Mister Blake set a folder beside him.

"Much better than the last time I was here," Amelia replied. "This venture promises to be far more profitable." Without looking away from Hyperion's president, she held her hand out. Zoe instantly placed the datapad in the other woman's palm. Amelia tapped it and brought up the proposed project.

"Right down to business, huh?" Jack asked with a chuckle. A corner of the green haired woman's lips curled up.

"I didn't come to Pandora just for the family reunion, after all. I am as much responsible for running the company as my husband is. And I'm better at negotiations," she added.

"Well, negotiate away," Jack offered, leaning back in his chair to gesture widely in invitation.

The Hyperion president certainly hadn't expected Amelia to be lacking or weak willed, but the woman took to the bargaining table like a warrior going into a battlefield she knew by heart. She was intelligent, thorough, and very persuasive. There were several instances where Jack caught himself nearly agreeing to a term detrimental to his company just because Amelia offered the "concession" in such a way it seemed completely reasonable. The longer he was in the room with the older woman, the more obvious it became that Nadie had inherited many of her mother's qualities.

He did not intend to tell his girlfriend of his observation.

"No way," the president said in response to another of her offers, shaking his head with a laugh. Amelia frowned and tapped the datapad screen.

"Let's be honest, Handsome Jack. You don't have the same clientele that Tediore does. Yes, you get the gun fanatics and those of a… let's say selective persuasion, but Tediore has the ear of the common folk, and _that's_ who you want to pitch this sale to. That's why it should be unveiled under the Tediore name as opposed to Hyperion. Not that I'm suggesting to eliminate the Hyperion branding entirely, mind. Simply that it would be more marketable with the Tediore logo front and center."

"No way, no how, sweet cheeks," Jack retorted immediately, crossing his arms over his chest. The green haired woman's face twitched.

"Amelia, please," she insisted gently, but firmly. Jack smirked.

"Prefer to be on a first name basis, huh? Not 'Mrs. Tediore'?"

Amelia folded her hands atop the table.

"As much as I love my husband and being associated with the company business, I am as much my own individual as I am a representative of the house. Besides, people tend to find me more approachable as 'Amelia' as opposed to 'Mrs. Tediore.'" She paused a moment and then the slightly stern expression faded back into a curious smile.

"Speaking of 'Mrs.,' I notice Nadalie isn't present. I wonder, exactly how long have you and my daughter been an item?"

"Long enough to know she would not approve of me talking about our relationship with you," he replied easily. "As much as it isn't in my company's best interest to upset you, it's of far greater importance I don't upset _her_. She knows where I sleep."

Amelia gave a deep belly laugh at that, and Jack had a suspicion it was a genuine sound of mirth.

"Very well," the representative chuckled. "I can only imagine that keeping her nearby is your top priority. She is quite a commodity, after all."

Jack stilled, something about the way she said it setting off a warning bell in the back of his head. He conjured up a smile to hide the sharp bolt of awareness that straightened his spine to full alertness.

"You think so?" he replied calmly. "I mean, I'm a fan of her, of course, but she can certainly be high maintenance when she wants to be."

Amelia grinned.

"She is my daughter, there's no doubt about that, and kudos to you for being man enough to keep her attention. I imagine that's no mean feat."

"Ah, I'm awesome," the president said with a simple shrug like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "But she is definitely a woman of many talents."

"Talents that must be quite useful on a planet like this. Her Siren gift of healing, a unique relationship with the Eridian technology that litters this world… She is a surprising resource."

"Yes," he agreed slowly, "yes, she is."

"Ma'am?" Zoe interrupted suddenly, her hand brushing across her Echo. "Mr. Tediore is requesting to speak to you."

Amelia looked over at her and made a tsking sound.

"Well, my husband doesn't call for no purpose." She looked back at Jack. "Would you excuse me and allow me to retire to my rooms? I apologize for this interruption."

"No, no," the president replied. "Be my guest. Quite frankly, I hadn't been expecting us to get straight on negotiations this afternoon anyway."

Amelia chuckled.

"I'm afraid I'm a bit of a hands-on woman. I like to get things done."

"I've noticed."

The representative stood and tipped her head in a polite nod to Jack before swiftly exiting the room, her secretary in close tow. The president and his assistant watched them go, and then Mister Blake glanced at his superior.

"Shall I make sure they retire to their assigned suite, sir?"

"Please," was the response, the single word spoken tersely. The choice of tone and word was not lost on Mister Blake, and he quickly strode out of the boardroom, leaving Jack in the falling silence. The president tapped his fingers on the table uneasily, staring at the door, an echo of words of warning flittering about his mind. He thought quickly, and after a moment, he stopped tapping the tabletop and reach up to his Echo.

"Rhys. I want you down here within six hours. Plan to stay for a while."


	9. Chapter 08

Nadie pulled herself up the rocky crag and settled down atop it, looking out over the Highlands. A young stalker scrambled up after her and then crawled into her lap, letting out the soft rumble she had come to understand was a sound of contentment. The little stalker, barely three feet long, had started following the Siren curiously an hour back and had seemed to decide at some point that her lap was its new favorite place to be. Nadie wasn't exactly sure what she had done to draw its attention, but company with no ulterior motive was nice.

The Siren had been traversing the Highlands on foot for a few hours, leaving the sight of Opportunity and the sound of the ocean behind, seeking out the natural quiet of the untamed green land. The scenery was doing a lot for her temper and giving her some much-needed time to think.

Nadie was scared. There was no other word for it. The one woman she should have been able to trust and who had singlehandedly torn the family apart was back on the Siren's planet and had sauntered into her home with scant effort. Even now, that woman was near the gunsmith's lover, and Nadie wasn't there to watch him, to protect him, to shield him from the woman's charms.

The Siren looked at her hands helplessly.

"Are you jealous?" she asked herself dryly. The stalker crooned and looked up at her. Nadie blinked and then smiled.

"No, no. Not you. Sorry, dear."

The creature settled back down, reassured that its warm spot wasn't going to be moving. Nadie tipped her head back and sighed.

"You gotta trust him, Nadie," she continued aloud. "You gotta trust him. You gotta trust that what you have with him is stronger than her manipulations."

Saying it out loud didn't make her feel any surer of it.

 _"Moping is not your style, kit."_

Nadie looked up and back sharply while the young stalker scrambled out of her lap swiftly. Nahnish appeared out of cloak just below her.

"Hello, Nahnish," the Siren greeted, quickly rising to her feet. The small stalker let out a soft churr at the bigger one and then disappeared.

 _"Kits,"_ Nahnish sighed, looking at where it had been. She shifted her gaze back to the green haired woman.

 _"What are you fussing about? The young one said you are sad."_

"I'm not sad," Nadie replied. "I'm upset."

 _"About what?"_

"The woman… who should have been my mother… it's complicated."

Nahnish stared at her silently. Nadie let out a short puff of breath.

"She betrayed my father and me. And now she's near my boyfriend, who I don't think really understands how dangerous she is."

Nahnish cocked her head to the side.

 _"Boyfriend?"_ the beast repeated quizzically. Then, her markings shifted to a soft amber. _"Ah, your mate. You are afraid she is going to steal him from you?"_

"Well, it's… it's more complex than that. But sort of."

 _"You are Kith. Mates come and go, kit. Besides, you can do better than that one."_

"Hey…" the Siren protested. "I like that one."

The stalker let out a huff, the equivalent of a snort.

 _"There is no use in worrying about what will be if you can do nothing about it. Come. We begin training."_

The stalker turned and began loping down the hill toward an open field. Nadie sighed.

"I'm going to hurt by the end of the day, aren't I?" she questioned rhetorically before following after her self-nominated mentor.

/

/

Francisco Alejandro Guillermo Tediore frowned at the map displaying on his Echo. It was still a distance to Opportunity, which meant it would be a while longer out in these awful wilds getting attacked by creatures that were invisible until the moment they leapt out of hiding. The youngest son of the Tediore family had not been having a good day already and wasn't expecting it to turn around any time soon.

"Uh, 'Cisco?" Juan asked from beside him. Juan Alonso Sergio Tediore was the oldest of the Tediore children and oftentimes the brawn to Francisco's brain. While they weren't complete without the middle sibling, their sister Catalina Renata Sofía Tediore, the boys had every intent of trying to see their mission through even in her absence.

"What is it?" Francisco replied, not closing down the projected map.

"You should see this."

The younger man sighed and shut down the map to follow his brother's gaze.

Not far from them in a large open field of short brush and grass was another of those beasts that disappeared from view, this one several times the size of the others. Its bulk rivaled some of the work trucks the manufactories used. It was bent forward, tail lashing back and forth behind it like it was preparing to pounce. Standing across from it was a striking woman with emerald green hair, dressed in khakis with half a dozen pockets, and a simple tank top. Blue tattoos whirled and danced across the skin of her left side.

The beast pushed itself up on its back legs and flapped its wings once, and as if that was some sign, the woman lunged for it. The creature nimbly dodged aside, and the woman followed after, leaping over its tail to land on the animal's back.

Francisco went back to looking at his map.

"Hey, shouldn't we help her?" Juan protested.

"She's fine," the younger Tediore replied. "I'm sure we would have heard screams by now it she was in trouble."

Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of amethyst light that washed over his map.

"Holy crap," Juan swore. Francisco shut down the map swiftly again and looked over to see the green haired woman had clearly been thrown off the creature and was now half leaned over in the dirt, a pair of purple, luminescent wings coming off her back.

"That's a Siren," Francisco breathed. Juan looked over at him.

"Hey, isn't there a rumor that Handsome Jack has a Siren for a girlfriend?"

The young men looked at each other for a moment and then Francisco started down toward her.

"Uh, shouldn't we be a little careful?" his older brother questioned, eyes all for the beast below, but he kept pace just behind his younger brother. "They have been trying to kill us all day."

"Well, it's obviously not trying to kill her," Francisco pointed out. "Maybe people bond with animals or something here. This place is weird."

"That'd be kinda neat," Juan acknowledged. "Ok, I know this may be a late observation, but is it me, or does she look awfully familiar?"

Francisco didn't answer, and as they approached, the Siren straightened and walked over to the creature, the latter of who had settled down into a crouch in the grass. They got close enough to hear her say, "No, this is not making me feel any better," before both woman and beast turned to watch the men's approach.

The closer they drew to the green haired woman, the more Francisco's face fell as a sense of foreboding came over him. The moment he saw her eyes were violet, that apprehension settled into a rock in his stomach. He didn't realize he was growling until the woman's eyes narrowed and Juan smacked him lightly on the arm.

"Sorry, sorry," the younger Tediore apologized immediately, clearing his throat. "Don't quite know what came over me. You just… ah… look an awful lot like someone we know."

"Mm," the woman across from him acknowledged. "You must mean my mother, Amelia. Don't worry; I'm not on the best of terms with her."

The brothers exchanged a look and then turned their gazes back to her.

"Well, that's good," Juan said.

"We don't exactly get along with our stepmother either," Francisco added. Nadie blinked and studied them for a moment.

Both men were of a slightly darker shade like they saw a lot of sun and had black hair. The older brother's eyes were a deep brown, almost ebony, but the younger's were slightly golden and the pupils vaguely slitted. They were dressed in simple traveling clothes, but to a woman born and raised on Pandora, the quality spoke of money.

"You're… Tediore?" she asked slowly. The younger of the two straightened and bowed politely.

"Francisco Alejandro Guillermo Tediore," he introduced himself formally, "youngest son of the Tediore president, Julio Tomás Martin Tediore. This is my brother, Juan Alonso Sergio Tediore."

Beside him, Juan waved cheerily. Nadie pursed her lips.

"Please tell me there isn't going to be a test. I can't guarantee I'll pass."

A corner of Francisco's lips quirked upward.

"No, I promise, there won't be a test. Francisco and Juan will do just fine."

"That's a relief. My name is Nadalie Tirrell. Nadie for short."

"You'll have to excuse our intrusion," Juan began, "but you wouldn't happen to be the Siren who's Handsome Jack's girlfriend, would you?"

Nadie's brows crooked upward.

"I… well, actually, yes, I am. How do you know that?"

The Tediores exchanged another look.

"The companies tend to pay close attention to what other company owners are up to," Francisco explained. "Having a Siren on payroll… is sort of a big deal."

The green haired woman blinked in surprise and then frowned.

"Are you saying _all_ of the other companies know Jack's dating a Siren?"

"If it makes you feel any better," Juan replied, "they don't know your name. Yet," he added. Nadie's face darkened.

"Damnit. What happened to my quiet life? Oh yeah, I started dating a handsome jackass." The Siren crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. Nahnish, who had been silently sitting beside her, glanced up.

 _"Are they upsetting you? I could eat them. I'm quite hungry."_

"No, you cannot," Nadie replied instantly, looking at the stalker. "There's only one person I'd want you to eat right now, and she's not here."

The stalker let out a puff of breath in a sigh.

 _"Very well, kit."_

The Siren turned back to the two young men to find them looking back and forth between her and the creature quizzically.

"She was asking if she could eat you," Nadie explained. "I told her no."

"Can all Sirens talk to animals?" Francisco asked curiously. Nadie shook her head.

"I'm sort of unique. It's a long story. So, what can I do for you gentlemen in the meantime? Shouldn't you already be in Opportunity with Amelia and the rest of Tediore's people?"

"Actually, we were hoping you could arrange a meeting for us with your boyfriend," the younger Tediore responded.

"We're not exactly supposed to be here," Juan confided. "Our dad and stepmother don't know."

"And we'd like to keep it that way," Francisco added.

"You're sneaking around behind your dad's back?" Nadie inquired. Francisco crossed his arms over his chest.

"Let's just say we do not share our father's affection for our stepmother."

"She's up to no good," Juan informed her, which evoked a dry laugh from the Siren.

"You're telling me. That being said, do you know something we don't?"

The Tediores exchanged a look.

"Probably…" Francisco replied slowly, "but we'd prefer that information to go to Handsome Jack himself. No offense."

"Mm, some taken, but I understand your reluctance," Nadie sighed. She looked down at the stalker. "I think we're done for the day, Nahnish. Duty calls or some such."

The stalker let out a snort as her markings shifted to an orange color.

 _"Soft folk things are silly,"_ she retorted. _"We will continue another day, kit."_

Nahnish vanished, and there was a disturbance in the grass as she lunged away. Francisco and Juan peered out over the fields, trying to spot where she had gone.

"So, you Pandorans don't magically bond with animals?" Juan asked, his tone disappointed. "Cause I'm not going to lie—the idea of having a big beast to call on to come to my aid would be awesome."

"Not so much," the Siren answered. "Besides, I'm sure if something like that existed, you'd have to bond with it upon birth or give up some fundamental piece of yourself."

"Boo," Juan said with a frown.

"In the meantime," Nadie began, "if you'd like to follow me, we've got a bit of travelling—oof!" Her sentence was cut off midway as a small stalker about three feet long suddenly leapt up and landed heavily on her shoulders, claws tearing at her skin as it fought for purchase around her neck. The Siren cursed and her tattoos illuminated in amethyst light as the bloody wounds from the creature's claws sealed shut in an inhuman display of resilience.

"That hurt," she snapped at the small stalker irritably. The little beast made a soft churr and rubbed its nose against her cheek. Nadie stared at it for a moment before sighing and turning back to look at the Tediore brothers.

"Come on."


	10. Chapter 09

"What have you brought home?" Jack questioned without preamble as Nadie entered the president's office with the two Tediore men in tow.

"This is Francisco and—"

"Not them," he interrupted and looked up at her. His eyes flickered to the creature on her shoulder. "That."

Nadie lifted her hand and the stalker made a soft sound and rubbed its nose against one of her fingers.

"It followed me home. Can I keep it?"

Jack looked back down at his computer screen.

"Isn't Squeaky enough of a handful, babe? Do you really feel like you need another pet?"

"You have to admit, it _is_ cute," the Siren replied. Jack snorted.

"I do not," he retorted firmly. "So, what other wild animals have you brought home with you?"

"This is Francisco and Juan Tediore. Uh." She looked back at the two young men. "I'm sorry, I don't remember the whole name."

"That's fine," Francisco assured her quickly. He stepped forward and nodded his head deeply to the CEO.

"My name is Francisco Alejandro Gui—"

"Yeah, don't care," Jack cut in. "I got the 'Tediore' name, that's all I need. Why precisely are you here in my office? I thought Amelia was doing the talking for Tediore."

A trio of scowls met him at that statement. The president studied the unhappy faces and then leaned back in his chair, chuckling.

"Well, _that's_ quite a picture. Ok. Why are the two sons of Tediore sneaking around behind their mother's back to have a clandestine meeting with a rival company head?"

"Stepmother," Juan corrected immediately.

"We don't exactly see eye to eye with her," Francisco continued. "And we're sure she's using this meeting as an excuse to be on Pandora."

"Oh, I have no doubt of that," the masked man replied. "The question is, do you know why?"

The Tediore brothers glanced at each other and then looked at Nadie. The Siren frowned irritably, but Jack spoke before she could protest about their unwillingness to speak in front of her.

"Nadie is my right hand and probably the person most affected by her mother's presence," the president stated. "Anything you tell me she's going to find out anyway, so we might as well cut to the chase."

Francisco's lips thinned, but he nodded in acknowledgement.

"We're positive that she's here looking for a Vault."

Jack's eyes lit at the "v" word and the youngest Tediore immediately had the president's full attention.

"A Vault, huh? And how exactly did she find out about a Vault on my planet?"

Francisco shrugged.

"I don't know. Let's be completely honest here—if we were talking about my mother instead of Amelia, I'd never breathe a word of it to you. I am very aware of the profit a Vault represents. But it _is_ Amelia here, and I'm positive she's responsible for our mother's death, so I'm going to make sure every plan she has fails catastrophically." The young man's words were almost a snarl by the end.

Jack's smile was thin and dark.

"Hey, look at that, sweet cheeks. I think we've found someone who hates your mother as much as you do. So, what can you tell me about the Vault your stepmother is looking for?"

"We don't know much," Francisco admitted, spreading his hands wide. "What we do know is Amelia had some Atlas documents that referred to a 'Vault of the Traveler.'"

"Hm." Jack leaned back in his seat, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I definitely recognize that name. Given that Atlas is involved, I must have seen something in their documentation when I took the company over."

"There was some indication that there was an Atlas facility somewhere that was dedicated to its study," the younger Tediore continued.

"What was she doing with this stuff? Was your mother Atlas?" the president asked, looking over at his Siren. Nadie shrugged.

"I have no idea. I know Dad was at one point, but he's never said anything about Amelia having been."

Jack frowned.

"I think we need to buttonhole your bullymong father and find out exactly who and what your mother is."

"Yeah, I'm thinking that's not a bad idea. But do me a favor, love. Don't go talk to him yourself."

"What? Why not?" the masked man protested, sounding almost wounded. "Sweet cheeks, are you saying you don't think I have a way with him?"

She snorted as she retorted, "Oh, you have a way with him. A way with getting right on his last nerve. Let me be there."

The president sighed.

"Oh, very well. I won't talk to him without you."

Jack turned back to the Tediore brothers, but a commotion at the door interrupted anything he might have said. Amelia strode into the room quickly, a tall brunette haired man behind her, and an attractive young woman stopped in the doorway, proclaiming they were not allowed to just walk into the president's office. Jack sighed.

"Don't worry about it, Penny. She's here now." There was a note of irritation in his tone, but it was not directed at the secretary.

"I am so sorry, sir," the woman at the door apologized, backing out of the room. The CEO turned his gaze to the visiting Tediore rep who had slowed in her approach the moment her gaze fell upon the brothers.

"I beg your pardon for the intrusion, but it was brought to my attention that a Tediore family ship had been found missing," Amelia began slowly, schooling her expression carefully, her eyes on the young men, but her words for Hyperion's president. "The data indicated it had left dock on a flight plan that set course for Pandora. I thought I should let you know that there may be a complication arising, but I see such warning is no longer necessary. I wouldn't have imagined it would be my husband's children come to visit. I am pleased to see you, Juan and Francisco." She smiled gently at the two young men, though there was the vaguest hint of an edge in the expression.

"It's… nice to see you, too, Stepmother," Francisco replied, the words forced through clenched teeth.

"I apologize for any inconvenience they may have caused you," the representative continued, her gaze going back to Jack. The president waved a dismissive hand.

"No need to worry about it. They've enlightened my day."

A corner of Amelia's lips twitched, but otherwise her expression didn't change.

"I'm pleased to hear they haven't made themselves into a burden. If you don't mind, I'd appreciate if you would relinquish them into my care so I might help them acclimate to life on Pandora for the short time they're here."

Jack smiled brightly, and Nadie recognized it as the look that said he knew he was about to disappoint someone and he had every intention of enjoying the experience.

"Oh, there's no need for that," he assured the representative. "Pandora is becoming quite the tourist attraction. We're more than capable of making off-world visitors feel at home. And as these two are not here for negotiations and thus not here on behalf of Tediore, they fall under my purview as guests. They're clearly of an age where they can speak and act for themselves. Or are you going to try and convince me they're not of sound mind?" He crooked an eyebrow at Amelia, almost inviting the woman to make the argument. Amelia smiled vaguely, not rising to the bait.

"Oh no, like all boys, they're more than capable of making their own decisions." Her tone spoke to her opinion on the kind of decisions boys made.

"Fantastic," Jack replied, intentionally ignoring the unspoken sentiment. "Then the matter is settled." He reached up and tapped his Echo. "Jimmy, I have a pair of gentlemen here who need guest suites. Would you come get them?"

Once he heard the acknowledgement, the president returned his gaze to Amelia.

"There, taken care of. Is there anything else you need, Mrs. Tediore?"

The older woman stared at him for a heartbeat longer than was expected, clearly thinking quickly, but then she tipped her head.

"Not at the moment. Excuse my intrusion, Handsome Jack." She gestured to the young man who had accompanied her into the president's office. The brunette glanced at her and then nodded almost imperceptibly. He bowed and swung a hand out toward the door, waiting until Amelia swept passed him, and then he followed her out.

"Anyone get the name of the brute tagalong?" the president questioned. Juan snorted in disgust.

"That's Xavier. He's one of our stepmother's lackeys. He came with her from whatever hell she crawled out of."

"Babe, I think I'm beginning to share your feelings with regard to your mother."

Nadie glanced over and gave him a half smile. If she was going to say anything, it was interrupted by the arrival of Mister Blake.

"I'm sorry for the delay, sir," he said as he came into the room. "I was making the arrangements needed. I assume these are the two gentlemen?"

"Yeah," Jack replied. "They're a couple of Tediore's kids not here on the payroll. Make sure they're comfortable."

"Yes, sir. Follow me, if you would?" Mister Blake gestured toward the door. The brothers exchanged a look and Juan shrugged. Francisco's lips thinned, but he headed toward the office's exit as requested, his brother behind him.

"Make sure you come back when you're done," the president instructed his assistant. "We have work to do."

"Yes, sir."

Mister Blake left the CEO's office, shutting the door behind him. The moment he did, Jack immediately turned his attention to his computer and brought up a login screen.

"What are you doing?" Nadie asked curiously, walking over to his desk as he began typing rapidly.

"Pulling up the old Atlas files I inherited," he replied. "I know I've heard something about the Vault of the Traveler before—I'm hoping the location of this facility that was studying it is listed in here somewhere."

The Siren stepped up to stand beside him, slipping an arm over his shoulders so she could join him in watching images and information flicker across the screen. The small stalker scrambled off her arm and hopped down onto the desktop, eyes locked to the president's fingers which were almost a blur across the keyboard. Its head twitched left and right, its tail swinging back and forth, and it shifted, gathering its weight onto its hindquarters. Its low rumble of anticipation went unnoticed by the two humans, much to Jack's chagrin when it leapt abruptly onto his hands and started nipping his fingers.

"Ack!" He tugged his hands away sharply while the stalker growled and scrambled over the keyboard, hopping up and down to try and reach his fingers.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Nadie said hurriedly, attempting to catch hold of the animal.

 _"Play, play, play!"_ the stalker chanted, happily dodging around her hands.

"It's ok, babe, it didn't really hurt," the president assured her, staring down at the little beast. "It just surprised me. I was expecting it to be better behaved since it was with you."

"I think it was trying to play with you," the Siren said, chuckling softly.

"Grand," he sighed. "Unfortunately for it, I have work to do. And I'm partial to my fingers remaining on my hands."

The stalker plopped down on his keyboard, its tail curling around its clawed paws, and stared up at him expectantly.

"Nadalie, why is _your_ pet trying to play with _me_?"

"I dunno," she answered. "It has good taste?"

He frowned in that way that said he was trying to be annoyed, but preening over the compliment was winning out. She took the opportunity to scoop up the escapee from off the keyboard.

"Sir?" Mister Blake inquired as he returned to the office. "There's someone here to see you."

Jack scowled.

" _Now_ who is it?"

"You called, sir?" a young man asked as he leaned into the office around the door.

"Ah, Rhys! About time! Get in here. You too, Jimmy," the president ordered.

The new gentleman was a lanky young man with short cut brown hair and boasted a cybernetic eye implant as well as a mechanical arm. He carefully entered the room, followed by the CEO's assistant. Nadie straightened, studying the newcomer curiously.

"Who is this?"

"This, sweet cheeks, is Rhys. He is basically my right hand man on Helios. He takes care of it up there while I'm down here doing the important stuff."

"Happy to be of service, sir," Rhys assured them.

"I had him come down to Opportunity because it occurred to me that if I'm going to leave him in charge up there, it'd be a good idea if I was sure he could handle any surprises like these negotiations. So I'm going to put him in charge of things around here and see how he does."

"Pardon?" Rhys sputtered in shock, eyes going wide.

"Sir?" Mister Blake questioned, a hint of worry entering his tone. Jack waved a soothing hand at his assistant.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to leave him to sink or swim. I wouldn't risk my city that way. I'll be shadowing him, so if there's any real trouble, I can step in and solve it. But for the next week, he'll be running the show. Any meetings, projects to be decided, conflicts between departments… it all goes to him to deal with first and foremost. You're to only get me involved if it's an emergency. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Mister Blake agreed slowly while Rhys all but bounced on his toes in excitement. The assistant sought out Nadie's gaze to find her already giving him a perturbed look. The fact she hadn't expect this turn of events either did not allay Mister Blake's concerns.

"Am I supposed to go to him first, too?" the Siren asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"If it's related to the job, yes," Jack replied. "If it's not, then definitely no, you come to me. That being said, you might as well vanish into your lab for most of the time the next few days, babe. I have a feeling it will be late nights for me for a bit."

"Boo," she frowned. "You're telling me it's going to be late evenings for a while?"

"Possibly no evenings at all, depending on how things go," he replied, which only made her frown deepen.

"Boo!"

He laughed and tugged her down to kiss her. The stalker churred in her arms.

"Don't worry, sweet cheeks, as soon as I'm done here, we can duck out early. However…" He turned and stood, waving a thoughtful finger at Rhys. "I have something for you. Stay there."

"Yes, sir!"

The president stood and went to a small storage room off to the side, leaving Nadie and Mister Blake to glance at each other uneasily once more. The Siren shrugged one shoulder and then looked at the young man who was staring at Jack's desk with a growing expression of awe.

"Does this mean I get to sit _there_?" he asked breathlessly. Nadie gave him a half smile.

"Sounds like it."

"Don't get too comfy!" came the warning from within the storage room. "I'm not letting you take over. This is just training!"

"We'd have to do some serious cleaning if he was," Nadie responded with a chuckle, looking over the collection of things on her lover's desk. Her brows quirked together when she spotted a pile of miscellaneous paperwork half shoved in a corner.

"What… oh, for heaven's sake." She reached over and grabbed the pile, plopping down in his seat as she started sorting through the paperwork. The stalker scrambled out of her arms and up to her shoulders once more. Jack grinned brightly when he spotted her on his return, holding a book and a small box.

"Aw, babe, you're finally taking over my paperwork for me? It's about time!"

"I just want to make sure it gets done before you get your hands full with babysitting," she retorted.

"Hey…" Rhys protested woundedly. "I have been running Helios for a while now. I am not totally incompetent."

"I didn't mean it that way, dear," the Siren assured him distractedly as she sorted pages. "You'd have to be useful in some regard or another. Otherwise he wouldn't give you half a moment, let alone control of his space station."

"And let's be honest, he'd probably be dead if he wasn't useful," Jack added. "People who disappointment me tend to not live long."

"Indeed," she agreed easily. "You need to come sign these documents. I can finish up these other ones, but those require your signature."

The president groaned, rolling his eyes dramatically as he walked over to Rhys.

"C'mon, sweet cheeks, haven't you learned to forge my signature yet?"

"What? No! I may grudgingly do your paperwork for you, but that doesn't mean I'm going to sign off on this stuff without your approval."

"Ugh," he said by way of protest. "Seriously, babe, just sign them and get them out of here. I trust you to not destroy the company. Now, Rhys, these are for you."

Rhys accepted the book from the CEO even as he saw Nadie look up at Jack sharply, a surprised expression on her face that melted into genuine affection. Whatever exactly it had meant to him, it was clear that Nadie would remember his words.

"So this thing is the Manual," the president began, tapping the four inch book he had handed his subordinate. "A little light reading for you. This, however, is way more fun." He gestured with the small box and offered it to the young man. Rhys accepted it and opened it to see a jack for his cybernetic.

"This has an upgrade for your eye in it," Jack explained. "It'll give you control of most of the systems in Opportunity, as well as a fair amount of information not commonly available to the public. It also contains most of the passwords you will need for daily life. Not all of them, mind, but enough you shouldn't run into any problems for a week."

Rhys picked the upgrade up carefully.

"Thank you, sir."

"Don't get used to the power. The permissions are only good for 168 hours starting the moment you download them. So, chop chop. Get to it."

As the young man carefully inserted the jack into the port in his temple next to his left eye, the president turned back to regard his lover and his assistant.

"So, he runs the show, don't get me involved unless there's an emergency. Any questions?"

"Yes," Nadie replied. "Are you dying?"

He frowned at her.

"You would know better than anyone if I was."

"Well, I know, but I never expected to see the day when you'd hand the reins over to someone else like this."

"It's not for any real length of time," he retorted with a sigh. "I'm not setting him up to take over if something happens to me. That honor goes to Jimmy here. But if I'm leaving Rhys in charge anywhere, I want to make damn sure I trust him to not screw it up. Therefore, I want to make sure he's capable of not burning my city down immediately. Is there something wrong with that plan?"

"No, it's smart, honestly…"

"Sweet cheeks, are you saying you're surprised that I have a smart plan?" he demanded.

"No, it's not that!" she assured him hastily. "It's just that…" She struggled for a minute and then glanced over at Mister Blake. "Help me out here?"

"I believe what is perturbing Ms. Tirrell most is that neither of us was aware you were planning this, sir," Mister Blake began slowly, choosing his words carefully. "With her mother's presence on Pandora already putting her on edge, this abrupt change of the status quo has likely made her a tad nervous." He looked over at her. "I do hope that is an accurate summation."

"That's about right," she agreed. The Siren looked back at Jack. "And I'm compelled to add that I am emotional and hormonal, which is _not_ fun, by the way. Screw everyone who says you're supposed to be happy when you're pregnant."

The president laughed at that.

"I guess I did forget about my girlfriend's current delicate sensibilities."

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." He tugged her close and kissed her cheek. "I promise I have everything in hand."

"You usually do," she replied, a pouty tone in her voice. "But surprises have not been good to me recently."

"There, there," he responded, squeezing her once before almost immediately releasing her to turn back to Rhys. "Those permissions downloaded yet?"

As he walked over to his employee, Nadie glanced at Mister Blake.

"Thanks for throwing me under the bus there."

"He cares about your opinion on these matters, not mine," the assistant retorted. "It doesn't matter that this is an unexpected development for both of us—he is only concerned about making sure you stay happy."

She snorted.

"Jimmy!" the CEO called. Both Nadie and Mister Blake looked over to see him wave to Rhys. "Come give Rhys a tour of the grounds."

Mister Blake and the Siren exchanged a final look, but the assistant stepped forward and nodded.

"Of course, sir. Come with me, would you please?"

Mister Blake led the young man toward the door, the latter of who was still wearing a star-struck expression, though that may well have been from all the newly acquired data still processing.

Once the door slid shut, Jack approached and Siren and offered her an arm.

"Think your lackeys can handle the lab for the rest of the day?"

"They managed it just fine for the week I was gone. I imagine they can deal with one more day. Especially given it sounds like I'll be just about living there for the next week."

"Don't be like that," he chastised her gently. "It's not that long. We'll take an extended weekend once this is done, promise."

"I'll hold you to that," she warned him. He grinned.

"You'd better. I have a feeling I'll need the stress release when the week is over."


	11. Chapter 10

"Ouch!" Nadie yelped, pulling her hand back from the Salamander. At the other drafting table, Michael and Alexander glanced up at her exclamation and then looked at each other for a moment. After a few seconds, Michael held up a hand, the fingers clenched into a fist. The blonde haired man across from him groaned softly and lifted his.

"One, two, three!"

Michael threw scissors, Alexander paper. The sniper sighed.

"Damnit." He left the drafting table reluctantly and approached the Director's desk.

"Nadie…" he began slowly, approaching carefully, not sure if she was going to lash out.

"Yes, Alexander?" the Siren replied tightly, hooking a finger between two plates of the PDD. There was a spark and then a sizzle and Nadie tugged her hand back, hissing. The skin on her finger was red from heat.

"Nadie," Alexander repeated. "Why don't you let me fix you a cup of tea? Come have a cookie." He carefully took hold of the Salamander and gently pulled it away from her. A pair of irritated violet eyes regarded him.

"Is this an intervention, Alexander?" she asked neutrally. He gave her a half smile.

"This is the fourth time you've burned yourself on this thing. You may be a healer, but you shouldn't risk yourself unnecessarily. Come sit down and let me get you something."

The Siren took a slow breath, but straightened and walked to the corner where Alexander set out the baked goodies he always brought. He quickly followed her and began setting up a teapot while pushing a small plate of cookies toward her. The sniper didn't risk speaking to her until she had eaten one.

"So, what's going on?" he asked softly as he poured her a cup. The Siren looked up at him sharply and he gave her a thin smile.

"You've been distracted and snippy the last three days. I've also noticed you've been working quite late. You haven't done that in a while. Are things ok at home?"

Nadie stared at him for a long moment, and then she sighed deeply, her shoulder slumping. She took a small sip of her tea.

"I don't know."

Alexander ushered her to a seat and pulled one up next to her so they could speak quietly.

"What's up, Nadie? What's going on?"

"He's… Look, Alexander, I get he doesn't trust me. He doesn't trust anyone. Not completely. But he brought in a guy from Helios and set him to run Opportunity and at the same time told me we wouldn't be spending any of our nights together for a few days. I haven't slept alone in months! He hasn't cut me out like this ever. And what's worse, Jeff didn't know about this either!"

One of Alexander's brows crooked upward.

"You think he's up to something?"

"I don't know what to think! What I do know is my mother is here making trouble, she's looking for a Vault, she has two boys intent on matricide following after her, and my boyfriend is rolling the dice on a bet with an outcome I don't know and a payout I don't think I've put anything into." She dropped her head and covered her face in her hands. "How do I help him when he won't let me? And let's not forget that this all comes on the heels of me having told him I'm pregnant!"

"So you did finally tell him!"

"I had to sometime. Otherwise someone else would have let it slip," she added dryly, regarding him. Alexander tsked.

"Yeah, Michael is just no good at keeping secrets!"

"Does Michael really know?"

Alexander hesitated, gaze flickering from one side to the other nervously.

"Alexander!" Nadie snapped.

"You told me I couldn't tell Handsome Jack!" he protested quickly. "Gerty sends her congratulations, by the way."

"I am going to strangle you," she growled with no real heat in her voice.

"In my defense, basically all of Opportunity knows now… The rumor started out of the Eridian tech labs."

"…That might have been my fault," the Siren admitted grudgingly. Alexander knew better than to laugh.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, most of the city is excited about it."

"It doesn't, but thanks anyway."

Alexander studied the morose woman and reached out to take one of her hands and pat it.

"Nadie, go find him. Talk to him about this. Chances are, he doesn't even realize you're fretting about this. And if he is doing it to make you cry, punch him in the nose."

The abruptness of the statement surprised a chuckle out of the Siren.

"I would have never thought I'd hear you say anything disparaging about him."

"I'm pretty sure he isn't deliberately trying to antagonize you, but if he is… well, you irritate a Siren at your own risk. Now, get out of here and go find him. That way Michael and I can get back to work without worrying about the lab burning down."

/

/

"It's been three days," Zoe said softly to the man across from her. "We're getting short on time."

"If she hasn't told us to go, we don't go," Xavier replied. Both assistants were watching their master who was seated at a nearby table, reading.

"What about the boys? You know they're going to be a problem."

"They are, but Amelia doesn't want them dead yet. Relax, Zoe. Connor isn't back yet anyway."

"I hate this sitting around."

"Really…" Xavier responded dryly. "I wouldn't have guessed. Patience, dear. It shouldn't be too much longer."

"Amelia!" a voice called from outside the suite's door. "Please let me speak with you!" There was a series of desperate knocks on the door. Xavier glanced lazily toward it as Zoe sighed.

"Who's that?" the tall man asked.

"Some Hyperion fop who took to our master. You know how some people just get overwhelmed by her and become infatuated with her."

"Takes one to know one," he pointed out teasingly. Zoe sniffed primly.

"Amelia!" the voice called again, muffled by the closed door. Both assistants glanced over at the Tediore representative who continued to read, unperturbed by the vocal request for her attention. Zoe looked back at the door again.

"I'll take care of this one."

The petite woman walked to the door and slid it open. On the other side was a disheveled man with tussled hair in a lab coat. His eyes lit when he saw the assistant.

"Ah! Zoe, would you please let your lady know I'd like to speak with her?"

"She knows," the young woman replied soothingly. "However, she is not available at the moment."

"I really need to talk to her," the scientist insisted.

"I'm sorry, sir," Zoe said firmly. "You will have to come back later. She is busy right now."

"I can see her right there! Amelia!"

"Sir, stop," the secretary ordered, the polite tone fading to be replaced with irritation. She placed a hand on his chest and even though he tried to push passed the small woman, she was unmovable.

"Amelia! This is important!" The scientist struggled against Zoe.

"Sir, last chance."

"I've _got_ to speak with her!"

Zoe sighed in annoyance and pulled back the hand she had been using to restrain him. A moment later, she thrust it forward again, striking him firmly in the middle of his chest with her open palm. The air rushed out of his lungs as his chest caved in under the hit and his body flew back to slam into the opposing wall, leaving a sizeable dent.

Xavier laughed.

"Zoe," Amelia tsked, her tone gently chastising. The short woman flinched and then looked back at her superior.

"He wasn't taking no for an answer," the assistant explained.

"You know I enjoy the attention."

"He was making a scene, ma'am."

"That he was," the violet eyed woman agreed, turning a page unhurriedly. "And now we have made a bit of one ourselves."

"I'm sorry, ma'am." Zoe hung her head. Xavier looked over at the black haired woman and made a face at her. She stuck her tongue out at him from the corner of her mouth while still trying to look apologetic.

"I know it's hard for you to wait like this," Amelia went on, either missing, or more likely, ignoring the antics between the two assistants. "But it shouldn't be much longer now."

"I found it," a new male voice said suddenly. Zoe and Xavier immediately stood to attention, but Amelia finished reading the page she was on before setting her bookmark into its place and closing it.

"Good." She looked up at the man who had all but appeared in the room. Connor was almost completely nondescript—with average skin, brown hair, and an even voice with no particular accent or odd cadence, the man was almost completely forgettable.

It was one of the many qualities he had that Amelia found useful.

"Pack up," she ordered the trio. "We're going now."

"What about the gun project with Hyperion? Isn't it a bit early to drop everything? They'll definitely notice."

"I don't trust Handsome Jack," Amelia replied. "He's too quick-thinking for his own good. Besides, if we find this Vault, the name 'Hyperion' will be a distant memory in the history books of the six galaxies."

Xavier grinned.

"Gotta hand it to you, ma'am. When you aim, you aim high."

"If you're going to make the effort, might as well go for broke," she replied. "I detest missing opportunities. Let's go."

/

/

It took the Siren some time to hunt her errant lover down. She didn't risk calling him via the Echo, afraid she would alert him to her pursuit. It was only a sneaking suspicion, but she figured if he knew she was on her way, he'd find a perfectly logical reason why he was occupied and couldn't see her.

Her hunt finally ended at his home, a luxurious residence with a sweeping floor plan and a front room that was furnished so elegantly it could receive royalty. Much of the rest of the house was outfitted similarly, but while it was an impressive display, there were very few rooms that actually felt lived in. Since being given her own key, that number had grown even though when they were here, Nadie rarely used the bedroom that had been designated as hers. The Siren was as familiar with the layout of this house as she was her own home, and she finally found the president reclined in one of the living rooms. He had his feet up on an ottoman and his head tipped against the backrest of the plush loveseat he was settled upon, for all appearances asleep.

Nadie snorted.

"Now, here's the picture of the hard worker."

"Nadie?" He looked up sharply, a surprised expression on his face. "What are you doing here?"

"Hunting you down," she retorted, approaching him quickly. "I want to talk to you, but I think I have higher priorities right now. Talking can wait."

"Sweet cheeks, I have to get back to the office pretty soon," he protested as she dropped down on the loveseat, straddling his thighs.

"Mm, I'm sure Rhys will call if he needs you," the Siren purred. She leaned down and brushed her nose against his while her palms crept up to rest on his chest. "I've missed you."

"Of course you did," he retorted easily, his hands almost unconsciously finding a place on her lower back. "But I really don't have much time. So we probably shouldn't get too entangled…"

"I'm sure it will be fine," Nadie murmured soothingly as she dipped her head to brush her lips across his. She felt his breath catch and his shoulders stiffen, but she pressed her lips to his before he could object further. He froze beneath her for a long moment and then he melted into the kiss, one of his hands coming up to tangle in her hair.

After a few heartbeats, the Siren pulled back and stared at him flatly.

"Ok. Where's my boyfriend and what is he up to?"

"Sweet cheeks, why would you—ah! I don't know!" he finished hastily as her nails dug into his skin sharply.

"You don't know?" she repeated irritably. "How could you not know? Moreover, why the hell didn't he tell me he was planning something like this?!"

"Look, I don't know what he's doing or why he didn't tell you," the doppelganger sighed. "All I know is he told me to make sure he was occasionally seen, to answer any dumb questions Rhys might have, and to avoid you and Jimmy."

"The fact that he is keeping this from Mister Blake as well does not fill me with confidence," she sighed. The Siren slid out of his lap and stood, rubbing her eyes with a hand.

"What gave me away?" the man still seated on the loveseat asked.

"You don't kiss like he does," Nadie replied distractedly.

"Ah, oh. I guess that makes sense. That's, uh, not exactly part of the curriculum."

The evoked a dry laugh from the Siren.

"I imagine it wouldn't normally be a problem," she said. "You also don't smell like him. I didn't notice that at first though, thanks to the cologne. You got his scent preference right on that, at least." She took a slow breath and let it out through her teeth. "Did he give you any idea on when he was planning on coming back?"

"He told me he would be back before the weekend, and if I did run into you, I was not allowed to sleep with you."

She snorted.

"At least he cares that much."

"Oh, trust me, he cares. He was _very_ graphic about what would happen to me if I did." The doppelganger frowned unhappily and Nadie thought he might look a little green under the edges of the mask.

"Ok, ok," she began in a mutter, and the doppelganger was pretty sure she was talking to herself. "I'm not mad. Well, I _am_ , but I'm not going to jump to any conclusions. I have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Even if he hasn't given me much to go on," she growled. The green haired woman started pacing back and forth as she grumbled to herself and then abruptly froze, a hand going to her stomach and a grimace twisting her face. She forced herself to take a shuddering breath and then relax.

"So, what's your name?" she inquired. "Your _actual_ name, not the cover."

"Heh, that's a question I haven't been asked in a long time," he chuckled. "My name is Greg. Also, hello, Nadie. It's been a while since we've spoken."

The Siren looked up at him, her brows quirking together into a perplexed expression, and then her eyes lit.

"The Hero Hour!"

"That's me."

"Oh, goodness!" One of her hands covered her mouth, her violet eyes wide. "I am so sorry about all that!"

Greg laughed and waved a hand.

"Don't be sorry. If I had a choice between steak and hamburger, I'd take the steak, too. I mean, it _is_ a bit of a blow to my ego, but it's hard to turn down the real thing. Dangerous to your life, as well," he added, the humor vanishing from his voice. Nadie sighed and gave him a half smile.

"He does tend to make a decision and then nothing in the world can stop him."

"Hence why we're both here," Greg chuckled.

The doppelganger's Echo suddenly gave off a chime, indicating an incoming call. He tapped it.

"What is it, Rhys?" the man pretending to be Jack inquired, putting just a hint of irritation into his voice. "You're interrupting my 'me' time."

"I'm sorry, sir, but I was just informed that the Tediore representative and her attendants have gone missing. They're nowhere in Opportunity. I know you wanted to see how I handled unexpected complications, but Mister Blake heavily suggested I should inform you of this development before I took any action."

Greg's lips pursed and he let out a short breath.

"It really never fails," he sighed in annoyance. "Hang on for a minute, kid. Let me think."

He tapped his Echo to mute it and regarded Nadie.

"So, Amelia and her cronies are no longer in Opportunity. Does that mean anything to you?"

"She's… what?" The Siren crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, that means something to me. It means she's up to no good and she's pushed up her timetable."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because we wouldn't realize anything's amiss if everything was going according to plan," Nadie growled.

Greg studied her for a minute and then held his hands out, palms up in a gesture of surrender.

"Help me out here, Nadie. What should we do?"

"You're asking me?" she questioned in surprise.

"I'm just a copycat," the doppelganger replied. "My job is to make sure no one thought Handsome Jack might be up to something. But now we're talking about a missing representative from a company that's clearly working to complete some goal or other that I'm sure will harm Hyperion in the long run. We're sort of out of my depth here. With Handsome Jack gone and Mister Blake out of the loop, that sort of puts you as the top of the totem pole."

"What about Rhys?"

Greg smiled thinly.

"You know as well as I do that he's just a figurehead."

"Yeah, I now realize he was a distraction. It gave my errant boyfriend an excuse to not be sought out." The Siren frowned. "I don't know what my mother is up to. Honestly, I don't even fully know what she's capable of. But I do know one person who will have a better idea than anyone else."

The doppelganger nodded, raising a hand so he could reactive the connection and add another participant to the call.

"Rhys, Jimmy, do a little investigation into anything left behind in their suite and anyone who spoke to them since they first arrived. Nadie and I are going to go see if we can shake up some information from another angle."

"You got it, sir!" Rhys acknowledged.

"Yes, sir," Mister Blake replied.

"You don't have to go with me," Nadie told him as Greg shut down the connection and stood.

"Ah, I sort of do, actually. I was informed at great length what would happen to me if you got hurt. So, if you go anywhere, I'm going with you. That way I can make sure I die by whatever is attacking you. It has to be less painful than what would be waiting for me here."

"He's being a little… protective," she observed idly. Greg bobbed his head in a slight nod.

"Protective is a word, yes."

"Not the word you would use, clearly. All right, one last errand before we go." She tapped her own Echo. "Francisco? Juan? Meet us at the fast travel in Opportunity Square." She ended the call without allowing either Tediore to respond. Greg quirked an eyebrow.

"Bringing some backup?"

"I'm not sure what's going to happen in the next few hours, so I'd like to have access to some extra fire power. Besides, the sons of Tediore have a vested interest in seeing this through. And, just guessing here, if I don't get them involved soon, they're going to take matters into their own hands and make things much, much worse."

"Ok," Greg acknowledged. "Where do we start?"

"With a very uncomfortable conversation with my father."


	12. Chapter 11

"My goodness, they are good at hiding their facilities," Xavier remarked as Zoe wrenched up the hidden trapdoor that covered the stairway down into the Atlas workshop.

"There's a smattering of these places across Pandora right under Hyperion's nose," Amelia replied, peering into the low light revealed by the removal of the door. "We, however, are only interested in this one at the moment."

Xavier started down the stairway, his steps making barely a sound as he vanished out of sight to scout ahead.

"Do you think Handsome Jack knows these places exist?" Connor asked curiously as Zoe began making her way down after waiting a few minutes. Amelia followed after with the nondescript man in close tow.

"If he did, there wouldn't be anything here," the wife of Tediore answered.

"Are we sure there is anything down here still?" Zoe questioned rhetorically.

The trio continued down the stairway quietly, proceeding with an amount of caution and awareness, but the fact Xavier had not reappeared indicated no danger yet loomed. They came out into a fairly small room with a tall terminal of some kind in the center of the facility. Screens and computer stations decorated the outside walls of the room, and toward the far end of the workspace was a chamber about eight feet long with a lid that was resting open.

"A stasis pod," Connor commented flatly.

"Zoe, go see if Xavier has found its occupant," Amelia instructed.

"Right-o," the black haired woman said and swiftly headed toward the back of the laboratory.

"It may have been empty," Connor pointed out.

"Maybe," Amelia agreed, "but I'm not going to chance it. Now, what is this thing?"

The representative walked up to the main terminal that took up the core of the room, looking it over. The central compartment looked like it had at one point been some sort of safe or containment. The capsule was now open, two not quite circular recesses set into the back of the case, both empty of whatever they had held. Above the container was a screen with a piece of paper tapped on it. Amelia plucked it up and flipped it open to read the scrawl.

 _"Mrs. Tediore—I absolutely do not regret to inform you that the objects you seek are now in my possession. As they are Atlas property, and as I own the company in its entirety, you'll understand why I helped myself to these little tokens before you tried to pitch a 'finders keepers' argument at me. I would appreciate if you'd return to Opportunity at this time, but I already know you're not going to. So… catch me if you can, cupcake."_

The note was signed with a "J" and an "XOXO." Amelia's lips thinned and she looked up at the screen as she crumpled the note between her hands. The screen showed the letters G and P in blocky text that spun periodically.

"I officially do not like that man," she said tightly.

"What do we do now?" Connor asked softly.

Before the green haired woman could answer, there was a commotion in the back hall. A man's voice yelled something unintelligible, several gunshots were fired in rapid succession, and then there was a muffled thump.

"Twenty feet," Connor guessed.

"Nothing rattled in here," Amelia retorted. "No more than ten feet."

After a moment, Zoe and Xavier returned, the former dragging an adult man wearing an Atlas uniform by an ankle. The man was groaning and incapable of resistance.

"How far did she throw him?" Connor asked his counterpart. Xavier tilted his head, looking skyward thoughtfully.

"Probably about eight or nine feet."

"He's no use to us unconscious," Zoe muttered.

"Damnit," Connor sighed. "I should know better than bet against Amelia."

"Yes, you should," the representative agreed. "Let me see him."

Zoe dropped her prize and Connor took up the task of shoving the bleary-eyed man into a chair. The Atlas employee was smartly dressed and well-groomed with a neatly cut beard. Medals pinned to his lapel spoke to his former status in the company when it had existed.

"Well, well," Amelia purred as he blinked, trying to focus. "I didn't think there were any high ranking Atlas left. Except my ex-husband, I guess, though he doesn't exactly count. Who might you be, sir?" She turned her voice to sweetness and honey. The Atlas employee groaned through his teeth as he took her in.

"Well, you're quite a bit easier on the eyes than my prior visitor, but I somehow don't think that's going to help me out much."

"Oh, did Handsome Jack go and spoil the fun?" the violet eyed woman pouted.

"He told me there'd be someone along looking for the same thing he was shortly."

"I wonder, then, Captain…" Amelia began curiously.

"General," he cut in sharply. "General Pollux."

"General. Why exactly did you stay if you knew another was coming? Clearly Handsome Jack already took what was of value here." She gestured vaguely toward the terminal in the center of the room. The general's eyes narrowed.

"A leader doesn't abandon his post just because an enemy approaches," he responded tightly. Amelia studied him for a long moment, watching his expression and the small beads of sweat that appeared on his brow as the silence stretched.

"Oh," she murmured aloud, a grin reminiscent to that of the cat that had caught the canary curling her lips. "You didn't leave because you haven't had time to, huh? That means Handsome Jack doesn't have much of a head start. That's excellent news for us. Now." Her wide smile thinned to a bare crescent.

"Tell me, General Pollux, will we do this the simple or the difficult way? I would appreciate knowing where the CEO of Hyperion is heading, and I think you know."

The Atlas general hesitated and Zoe clapped her hands together delightedly.

"Oh, please do," she entreated. "I love it when men play the tough guy card. Makes it more satisfying when they inevitably crumble."

General Pollux stared at her for a moment and then glanced uneasily at Connor and Xavier. Connor shook his head and Xavier smirked.

"Don't look at us, old man. The women run this show. We're just along for the ride."

When the Atlas employee turned his gaze back to Amelia silently, the representative sighed deeply.

"Zoe."

"Oh, oh! Do I get to start with the toes or the fingers?" the short woman asked excitedly. "I'm hoping for the feet. I can get so many delightful cracking sounds out of the bones there!"

"Be my guest," Amelia answered.

"Sweet!" Zoe dropped down to the ground in front of the general as Connor put restraining hands on his shoulders.

"I hope you're not dehydrated," the black haired woman said as she grabbed hold of one his feet as the Atlas man began to struggle.

"You're going to scream _a lot_."

"Wait, wait!" General Pollux burst out in protest. "Stop! I will tell you anything you want to know."

Amelia folded her hands in front of her and smiled in triumph.

"Ah, those words never cease to be music to my ears."

/

/

"You're not going to like this," Nadie told the Tediore brothers, "but I'm going to ditch you while I go talk to my dad."

Francisco and Juan exchanged a look and the older frowned while the younger crossed his arms over his chest.

"And why exactly are we being left out?" Juan demanded.

"Several reasons," Nadie replied, raising a hand to count off on her fingers. "One, as much as Amelia is your stepmother, she's my actual mother and my dad's ex-wife, so this is going to be a sensitive conversation by its nature. Two, he doesn't know you, so he definitely won't want to talk in front of you. Three, you guys haven't exactly been super forthcoming with me about what you both are up to, which doesn't exactly make me want to open up to you. Call it petty, but I'm not in a position where I have to tip my hand to you, so I'm not going to."

"That's trust for you," Francisco observed dryly.

"I'm compelled to remind you that you two are here against the wishes of your father, who you presumably are on good terms with," Nadie retorted. "It's not that I won't work with you—it's just that currently my priority is to look out for my family and my company first and foremost."

"So why is he going?" Juan asked, gesturing to the doppelganger. The Siren responded with a half-smile.

"He _is_ my boyfriend, after all."

A quick conversation had occurred before the Tediores had met up with Nadie and Greg in which they decided it would be for the better if they didn't let the brothers know about the fact Jack was MIA. As much as the foursome had similar goals in stopping Amelia, their loyalties were to two different companies and they weren't sure whether or not the Tediores would use that information to their advantage. The Siren decided it wasn't worth the risk.

"So, what do you expect us to do in the meantime?" Francisco inquired.

"I was thinking eat," Nadie responded. "I have no idea what the future holds for us and it'd be a shame to not try Ms. Evans' food while you're here. It's amazing, and I can say that after living in Opportunity for almost two years."

The brothers looked at each other and Juan shrugged.

"I am a little hungry…" he admitted. Francisco sighed deeply.

"Ok. We'll go eat. But don't take too long," the younger Tediore ordered Nadie. "The more time passes, the further Amelia gets with her plans."

"Trust me, I'm very well aware of that."

The Siren and the doppelganger watched the two men head down the road and then she turned to quickly start her way toward the heart of town.

"Where are we going?" Greg asked.

"The sheriff's office," Nadie replied. "If there isn't anything going wrong, Dad's usually around there somewhere."

The duo passed quickly between buildings toward the center of Erikeep to find Lawson standing with his back to the sheriff's office, looking over the townsfolk calmly. Aside from a slow turn of his head, he was a calm guardian ready to leap to his home's defense if necessary. When he noticed his daughter's approach, one of his brows crooked upward.

"Gone for almost two years and now back twice in two weeks," he stated idly. "Getting homesick, little girl?"

"Not exactly… Can we talk in private, Dad?"

The sheriff glanced passed her at the doppelganger and then turned, opening the door to the office and stepping in. The moment they joined him, Lawson nodded to his deputy.

"Cheval."

"Yes, sir." She quickly stood and left her desk, heading out into the town. Lawson let the door shut and then he looked at his visitors.

"So?"

"Amelia's up to something," Nadie stated. The sheriff grunted.

"When isn't she? You knew she had an ulterior motive for being here."

"I did. But she's gone missing out of Opportunity, and we're looking for any leads we can get."

Lawson eyed the masked man beside her.

"You let a representative for rival company sneak out of your city right under your nose?" The sheriff's tone was disapproving.

"Look, awesome as I may be," the doppelganger replied, "I cannot be in every place at once."

Lawson frowned at that and peered at the masked man. Greg leaned over to the Siren.

"Babe, why is the bullymong looking at me that way?"

"Who's the scrub?" the sheriff asked flatly.

"Dad, why would you think…" Nadie began, but when he gave her a look, she trailed off.

"His name's Greg," she finished meekly.

"How do you people _do_ that?" the doppelganger demanded. "Seriously, my job and my life ride on convincing people I'm Handsome Jack!"

"Well, I _am_ sleeping with the original," Nadie retorted. "That makes it hard to convince me you're him. Dad, on the other hand… He just notices things. It's what he does. It's sort of creepy, actually."

Lawson grunted once in response to the Siren's observation.

"So, my ex-wife is missing and your beau is…?"

"MIA."

The sheriff rubbed his face with a hand.

"Ok. What do you want to know?"

"Who is Amelia? Really? Where did you meet her?"

Lawson stared at his daughter for a long minute and then let out a breath through his teeth.

"I suppose I've put off this conversation long enough." He turned and took a seat, but even off his feet, he didn't look relaxed.

"I met your mother when I still worked for the Crimson Lance. She had come to Atlas as an attaché along with a few others from Anshin."

"My mother was associated with Anshin?" Nadie burst out. Lawson sighed.

"Fairly highly, actually. As I understand it, Atlas had been courting Anshin to try and get exclusive deals from them. As the Crimson Lance handled any and all threats to the galaxies that arose, having easy access to the health kits and shields they make was a priority of management. One of the few smart choices they made," he added dryly.

"Before the company went to hell?" Greg asked. The sheriff snorted.

"Thankfully, I was long gone before that."

"Why did you leave, Dad?" the Siren asked curiously. He met her gaze evenly.

"That is a story for another time."

The Tirrells stared at each other for a long moment, and then Nadie sighed, deciding to let the matter go.

"Ok. So you met Amelia when she came to Atlas. What happened?"

Lawson closed his eyes, replaying scenes in his head he had long ago decided to ignore and not revisit.

"She decided she wasn't going to stay in the quarter reserved for nobility and high-ranking guests… Against all of management's wishes, she made her way down to the barracks. That was the first time I saw her." The barest ghost of a smile flickered across his lips, an expression that seemed odd on the sheriff's face.

"She was chaos incarnate. I don't know what had set her off, but by the time I arrived on the scene, she was enjoying thoroughly antagonizing my sergeant who had no idea how to deal with a beautiful woman intent on making him blush. I was not… pleased that she was disrupting my men's routines as she was."

"What did you do?"

"I politely asked her to leave."

Greg and Nadie stared at Lawson, and when he didn't volunteer anything further, the Siren scoffed.

"That was it? You asked her to leave?"

"Yes. She didn't take my request well, so she turned her attention to flirting with me. I let her make a fool of herself for precisely five minutes and then asked her to leave again."

Nadie covered her mouth with a hand—even what little she did know about her mother was enough to tell her Amelia would not have liked that.

"How did that go?"

"Not well. Whatever mischievousness she had been motivated by became anger instead. Her sweet words became scathing—she spat out thinly veiled insults, questioned my sexuality, and even tried to intimidate me into letting her have her way. And when she was done, I asked her to leave again."

"Did she try to put a bullet in you?"

"No. I think she was too stunned she couldn't get anything out of me—not anger, not lust, not even annoyance. She called me cold and unfeeling. And then she told me she would be back the next morning to see me again."

The doppelganger glanced over at the green haired woman.

"I'm beginning to see where you got your decisiveness from," he observed in a teasing voice.

"Hey," she protested. She looked back at her father. "Did she come back the next morning?"

"The next, and the next, and the next," he sighed in an irked tone. "She refused to deal with any of my subordinates. Or my superiors, for that matter. Every day before she left, she would tell whoever she was dealing with that she had picked me and there was nothing anyone could do about it."

Greg started laughing.

"You eventually gave up, huh?"

"I eventually gave up," Lawson agreed.

"Sucker."

"Knock it off," the Siren said, her voice chastising her companion.

"Those days… She was something in those days," the sheriff continued, almost oblivious to them. "Vivacious, charismatic, supportive, ambitious… Nothing could stand in her way. She never took 'no' for an answer, and she was always looking for the next opportunity for both of us. She made herself an indispensable asset to both Anshin and Atlas, and as her influence spread, my rank in the Crimson Lance climbed."

"And then you left the Lance?" Nadie asked curiously.

"And then I left the Lance," the sheriff acknowledged. "I thought it was going to be the last time I saw Amelia—we fought about it many times. But the day I left, she was on the ship waiting for me."

"So she gave up everything she had achieved to go with you?" The Siren had trouble believing it. Lawson shrugged a shoulder.

"Yes."

"Why?"

A slow breath escaped him and he looked down at his desk, not really seeing it.

"I don't know," he replied softly, and there was a sadness to his expression that was heartbreaking. "But she did. And eventually we ended up here."

"You never thought she might be up to something? Or that she had some ulterior motive for coming out to Pandora?"

"No, not at that time. I noticed as the years passed she grew less content with our situation. I assumed it was due to her social nature being neglected, so I tried to give her every opportunity to meet new people, to handle all the off planet negotiations. She headed meetings with visiting Dahl employees and helped with the town's administration. But it obviously wasn't enough."

"Dad, I don't… I don't remember the events before Mom left clearly. What happened? I mean, I know she tried to sell me to someone, but who? Why?"

"Why?" he snorted. "You know the answer to that. As for who…" He tapped a finger on his desktop. "I never found out the exact identity of the person she was negotiating with. I just know it was someone with Anshin back on her home planet of Grophic IV."

"Grophic IV?" the Siren repeated, brows quirking together. "I've heard that name recently… Michael! He asked me about it. He said it was a planet home to some of Anshin's scientists!"

Lawson nodded.

"Amelia was one of those people who was both intelligent and charismatic. That gave her the chance to leave the lab and be an envoy on behalf of Anshin. She once told me she missed the work, but liked figuring out what made people tick too much to want to go back."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Nadie protested. "Michael told me the scientists there study genetic manipulation. Are you saying my mother is a genetically enhanced former scientist? Don't you think you should have told me that?"

"Didn't think it was relevant," the sheriff grunted. "You had all your fingers and toes and were healthy. Didn't seem like there was anything wrong or off about you."

"Aside from being a Siren," the green haired woman grumbled.

"Being a Siren isn't anything wrong," Lawson retorted.

"Really?" Nadie growled. "My entire life I grew up covering the markings, knowing I could never dare risk showing them to anyone. I couldn't let anyone close, I couldn't confide in anyone. I grew up thinking of this power as a curse. That's not normal, Father."

"It sounds like you two have a lot to talk about," Greg cut in quickly, "but we really need to focus right now. Need I remind you our boss is missing and your mother is on her way to find a Vault?"

The doppelganger immediately had Lawson's complete attention.

"She's what?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a low breath that was almost a growl. "How many Vaults are on this blasted planet?"

"At least one more," Nadie replied. "And we know almost nothing about what's in it or even where it is."

"So the only lead you have is your mother." The sheriff's words weren't really a question; they were more a resigned statement of fact.

"Or, theoretically, my errant boyfriend, if I know him and Vaults," the Siren stated. "But sadly, I do not have a tracking device implanted in him."

"Perhaps you should consider it," Lawson suggested dryly and began for the door to the sheriff's office.

"Come with me. We need to make a stop at the house."

Greg glanced at Nadie who just shrugged and started after her father. Lawson's steps were quick and while not overtly hurried, they carried him across the dusty streets of Erikeep at a clip that said he wasn't in the mood for idle chatter. Townsfolk moved out of his way with practiced ease, long used to the sheriff's focused intent in getting from one place to another, and while they gave Nadie and Greg curious looks, they didn't approach or hail them.

The sheriff didn't stop until he came to the small house Nadie had once considered home (and she still did, even if she effectively had two additional homes in Opportunity). He pushed the unlocked door open and headed straight for his room without stopping. The Siren only got a quick glance at the state of the front room as she kept pace with her father—it had become neater and more organized in her absence as well as somehow more empty even though it didn't look like anything was missing. She made a mental note to address that at some point in the future.

"I'm afraid I don't have any information as to what she's looking for or where she's going," Lawson said, "but I do have something that might help." He went to the small nightstand beside his bed and opened the one drawer, taking from within a black box. He opened it carefully and drew out a necklace made of a fine chain with a single pendant hanging from it. It was shaped like a capital S; the top curved into a gentle curl around a multipointed start that seemingly hung freely, surrounded but not touched by the silver metal. The bottom half wrapped into a spiral and at its center was a brilliant red stone. He let the pendant fall into his open palm.

"This is part of a matched set," he explained. "See how the star has one point longer than the others? It's attuned to Amelia's Echo—as long as she's wearing it, it will always point in the direction she is. You should be able to use this to at least get an idea which way she might be."

Nadie took it carefully, something about her father's expression making her very cautious in her handling of the item.

"How do we know Amelia hasn't changed the frequency of her Echo or something?" Greg asked. "If I knew someone had a way of tracking me and I didn't know to be found, I'd be sure to not leave it to chance that they wouldn't think of it."

Lawson shook his head.

"She wouldn't think I still have it," the sheriff replied.

"Why do you?" Nadie questioned softly. Lawson met her gaze for a moment and then looked away first.

"Couldn't bring myself to destroy it," he said simply.

Nadie covered the necklace with her other hand.

"Thanks, Dad."

He grunted once.

"Be safe. She plays for keeps."

"Got it. Come on, Greg. Let's go get the Tediores."

The doppelganger waited until they were back out in the warm desert air before he spoke.

"If he's so worried, why doesn't he come with us?"

Nadie shook her head.

"Not a good idea. Come on, you saw how much she affects him even now. Dad's feelings toward her are complicated at best, and the last thing you want in a fire fight is someone who might hesitate at the wrong time. He knows that, too, which is why he didn't offer. I'm sure it's killing him to make me face this alone, but he just can't."

"Hey," Greg protested. "You're not alone."

The Siren stopped, blinking, and then looked back at him with a slight smile.

"You're right. I'm not alone. And speaking of not being alone, let's go get our tagalongs."


	13. Chapter 12

(Author's Note: Soooooo it seems I looked at the wrong prior chapter and re-posted last chapter. My bad! Here's the updated new chapter. Sorry, guys!)

/

/

As much as it would have been convenient to find the Tediore brothers outside the tavern rearing to go, it was quickly apparent Nadie's visit with her father had not taken long enough to allow the young men to finish their meal. Francisco and Juan were both seated at a table with an assortment of dishes before them. The younger brother was enjoying his food with an amused expression as he watched Juan who was simultaneously eating and chatting with Ms. Evans. The older woman was flushed and giggling, and it was clear Juan was having a good time making the chef blush. Francisco noticed Nadie and Greg's approach first.

"Welcome back. Good news?"

"A starting point," Nadie replied.

"Which is more than we had," Greg added.

"Ah, nice to see you home again," Ms. Evans greeted the green haired woman. "I've been having the pleasure of entertaining your guests."

"I see that has been going well," the Siren replied in dry amusement. "I'm sorry to pull them away, but we have work to get started on."

"Oh! Let me pack this up for you to take on the road." With practiced ease, she scooped up several plates and vanished into the kitchen. Juan watched her go and then looked at Nadie with a grin.

"I am going to marry that goddess of the kitchen," he decreed. The Siren crossed her arms over her chest.

"I think Mr. Evans might have something to say about that," she retorted. Juan's grin widened.

"If I whisk her away off planet, I don't think he'll get to say much about it."

"She's something like double your age."

"I'll marry a cougar, I don't mind! I'm not the one taking over the company, so it doesn't matter if my wife isn't a power monger or a trophy. I'm perfectly happy with a supportive woman who can make both me and my tummy happy." The older Tediore beamed. "Her cooking has won my heart."

Nadie shook her head.

"The fastest way to a man's heart and all that. Come meet us out by the trucks once you're finished sweeping Ms. Evans off her feet."

"Can do!" Juan responded brightly.

Nadie rolled her eyes and turned, leaving the brothers behind even as Francisco gathered his things to follow after, unwilling to wait for his brother to wrap up his antics.

"You going to be ok?" Greg asked the Siren softly, aware of the younger Tediore rapidly catching up.

"I have to be," she replied. "So yes, I am."

Greg frowned at her, but let the matter lie.

It wasn't long before the foursome was gathered by the warehouse that stored the trucks. Dylan had emerged from the building and made a face when Nadie told him they were appropriating one, but decided not to risk arguing with the green haired woman.

"So, where are we going?" Francisco asked.

"We're following a compass," Nadie replied and held up the pendant. Francisco crooked an eyebrow and Juan crossed his arms over his chest.

"We're going to use a pendulum to find her?" the older brother asked dryly. "Why not go all out and get a Ouija board and ask the spirits for guidance?"

"We're not using it as a pendulum," the Siren sighed. "This will point us in the direction of my mother."

The young men exchanged a concerned look.

"Don't look now, babe, but I don't think you're filling them with confidence," the doppelganger observed from beside her. She glared at him.

"Look, what do you want me to do? Magic up someone who knows exactly where she is?"

Suddenly, there was a loud thump of an impact and the rooftop of the warehouse cracked as if a large weight had been dropped on it. The foursome glanced up sharply, Greg immediately drawing out a gun, Nadie shifted into a combat stance, and the brothers Tediore lifting their hands to suddenly be wielding firearms, digistructing in that way Tediore was known for. For a long moment, there was nothing, and then the sound of a building groaning as a large weight shifted and a gigantic stalker appeared out of cloak.

 _"You are difficult to find, kit,"_ Nahnish grumbled chastising. _"You move quickly across this world."_

"Nahnish, you can't just show up here," Nadie protested even as she heard squeals of fear go up from the townsfolk. The Siren winced and glanced back as townsfolk scattered, uttering cries for help.

"Sweetie, get the truck," Nadie instructed the doppelganger. "I need to get Nahnish out of town. If Dad gets here first, I will be in serious trouble."

"Worried you'll get grounded?" he asked teasingly. On a different day, she might have risen to the bait, but today she just wasn't in the mood.

"Dad's got enough on his plate. I don't want to add anything to it. Come on, Nahnish. We need to go."

The stalker let out a deep breath that sounded suspiciously like a snort as she dropped to the ground.

 _"I go where I please. I do not know why the soft folk or so upset with my presence. I am clearly not hunting them. If I was, they would be dead already."_

"I don't think telling them that would make them feel any better," the Siren informed her beast companion as she quickly led her toward the closest exit of town.

 _"I don't care what soft folk think,"_ Nahnish retorted.

"Well, these are the soft folk I grew up around," the Siren responded, "so I do."

They came to a halt some distance outside of Erikeep's walls, and it wasn't long before one of the town's trucks rumbled out toward them with Greg at the wheel.

"What are you even doing here?" Nadie demanded.

 _"I found your mate out in the wastes. When I did not see you with him, I thought you might be unaware of his activities."_

"You saw him?" Nadie sputtered. "What was he doing? Is he all right?!"

The knowledge that someone had information about her elusive lover sent a wave of relief through her that almost made her wobble on her feet. The stalker huffed.

 _"You allow your mate to go off without permission? Soft folk have strange notions about proper behavior."_

"Human relationships don't work that way," the Siren replied. "We don't command or order our mates to do our bidding, male or female."

 _"I do not command my mates,"_ Nahnish responded. _"They just do not do things I would not approve of. Such as go off without my permission."_

"You know, I've been meaning to ask… What's this about mates? I thought stalkers reproduced asexually."

The large beast snorted as she turned her attention to the truck as it approached and slowed.

 _"Silly kit, where do you think the cocoons come from that produce our young?"_

Before Nadie could question further, the stalker began growling lowly as Greg hopped out of the truck, her tail swinging back and forth unhappily.

"Uh, sweet cheeks, why is your new friend snarling at me?"

 _"What is this?"_ Nahnish demanded. _"Why does he look like your mate? He is not your mate. He does not smell like him. What is this abomination?"_

"Nahnish, relax," the Siren soothed, reaching out to place a hand on the top of the stalker's head. "He's ok. This is one of those dumb soft folk things."

 _"Kit, I am beginning to weep for your upbringing if this is normal among your kind."_

"Oh, it's not," the green haired woman assured her with a chuckle. "I promise you, this is very unusual."

"So, why the surprise visit?" Greg asked.

"She's got a lead for us," the Siren replied, meeting his gaze squarely. His brows crooked together at the pointed eye contact and then he nodded in sudden realization.

"Ah, great! No offense, I'll take a living guide over a hunk of metal any day."

Nahnish rumble deeply in her throat, her glowing eyes fixed to the doppelganger. Greg frowned at her.

"I get the impression she doesn't care for me much."

"She'll get over it," Nadie stated brusquely. "Where are we going, Nahnish?"

 _"To a forgotten place of life lost in the land of death."_

 _/_

 _/_

Jack had started this expedition thinking this was going to be a quick in and out venture; he'd get into the Atlas lab that had the Key hidden away, get some information on the respective Vault it went to, and then finish off the day by conquering his third Vault and adding to his already substantial fortune.

He should have known better.

The first part of the plan had gone perfectly, though having to bring an old Atlas employee out of stasis had not been on his docket initially. However, the action had proven to be wonderfully enlightening. He now knew why no one could find the Vault's location—the entrance moved from one place to another across the galaxies, thus causing it to leave a sort of dimensional residue behind even though the entrance itself was no longer on Pandora. It was this residue that his techs had been picking up and why they hadn't been able to turn up anything more concrete. Atlas had been in the process of designing a Key that could summon and open the Vault, but a particular gladiator's hunt of all active employees of Atlas had put the nearly-completed project on indefinite hold.

That "nearly-completed" part was the rub of the president's current problem, however. He had the Key, or, rather, a piece of it. The two segments that made up the core of the artificial Key were imprinted on his DNA and safely tucked away, but General Pollux had informed him there were two upgrades that would be required as well as the construction of the final product at a different Atlas facility.

His quick jaunt was rapidly becoming an extensive adventure. That made him nervous—he had been banking on the plan that he would be back to Opportunity within a few days, easily before his girlfriend lost patience and hunted him out. Even having brought in one of his best doppelgangers who had extensive experience at playing the part of the CEO, he had no doubt Nadie wouldn't be convinced for long if… _when_ she met with him, and once she realized Jack had left the city without her, she was going to be furious. Compounding that fact was that she had a pre-existing relationship with this particular body double, a detail he was _not_ comfortable with, but at the speed he had to put his plan in action, beggars couldn't be choosers.

General Pollux had given the president detailed information about the two upgrades required for the Gortys Project to be fully functional, and in a delightful turn of events, one of the requisite pieces Jack already had possession of—it was in his collection back in Opportunity as an old oddity claimed when he had taken possession of Atlas. The other, however, was in a now-abandoned bioorganic research facility out in the wastes. Since he already had a cover story established in his city, practicality compelled him to head for the derelict lab to retrieve the first of the two pieces while he still had the freedom to move without scrutiny, even though he knew he was already pressing his luck. Once he had secured possession of it, he could rendezvous with his Siren, who would probably be perturbed by that point, soothe any irritated tempers or smooth over any complications that had arisen in his absence, and then finally craft the Key that would open a Vault that had been eluding him for a few weeks now.

The biodome was an impressive structure—lost in the white and blue fields of one of the few icy places on Pandora, the facility gave off a vaguely purple bioluminescence. A small building sat directly attached to the dome and served as the entryway as well as headquarters for the lab. He approached the main doors carefully, keeping on alert in case the facility wasn't as empty as it appeared, but the only thing that greeted him were humongous blue mushrooms and towering trees that glittered in the low light in an amethyst hue. That color was unmistakable; either the biolab had been experimenting with Eridium or veins of it must have emerged in massive quantity beneath the lab's surface to suffuse the flora like this.

He was very thankful he hadn't brought Nadie to this place.

While run-down, the facility's locks were all still active. Though General Pollux hasn't possessed any of the passcodes for this lab, Jack's expertise with electronic systems and accumulated knowledge on Atlas' workings were more than enough to get him inside. The wall that separated the main office from the rest of the biodome was made of reinforced glass and offered what once would have been a breath-taking view of the plant life and layout of the biolab. Now, however, most of the view was obscured by green and purple leaves that had grown unkempt across the glass. There was still enough clear space to see a large tower toward the center of the veritable forest as well as several smaller columns that circled it at some distance.

"Hm," he muttered to himself. "Call me jaded, but I'm guessing what I want is in there."

The only response he got was a slight rustling that emanated from a small plant in a pot on the desk before the floor to ceiling viewing window. He glanced at it distractedly and then did a double take. The plant was clearly healthy and didn't look like it had been abandoned long, if it all. The soil in the pot was still damp like it had been watered recently.

Jack turned and did a study of the room. He hadn't really paid much attention to the details of it on the way in, but now that he was looking for any oddities, he noted there were a few things out of place. On one of the control panels was a set of men's clothes, cast aside. The table in the center of the room had a couple bowls full of fruit on it, and one of the larger pieces had a chunk missing that clearly looked like a bite. He could smell the sweet scent of the fruit in the air.

The president leaned against the desk that stood before the viewing glass and brushed a hand across the switch that allowed his wrist mounted cannons to overcharge.

"You might as well come out of hiding," he invited conversationally. "I can guarantee you that the people not far behind me are far less polite than I am."

There was a moment of silence and then an older man with two pairs of spectacles, one perched on his nose, one on his head, stepped into view.

"I, uh," the unnamed man began softly and unsurely, "I'd say I mean you no harm, but I think that's the least of your concerns."

"You'd be right on that. Who are you?" Jack asked. "I don't know what it is, but there's something about your face that looks familiar…"

"I get that a lot," the other man replied quickly. "I just have one of those faces, I suppose."

"Nah, nah, nah. I'd never forget the face of a man who has glasses for his glasses. That's just too freaking ridiculous." The president leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest, brows crooking together thoughtfully, before he let out a snort as he came to a decision.

"Look, let me get right down to the point. If you aren't a bandit and you're not holding the upgrade I'm looking for, then I don't have the time to deal with you. Or, more accurately, you're not important enough for me to want to take the time. So, prove to me you're not worth the effort and help me find what I'm looking for."

The spectacled man stared at him for a moment, fidgeting a little, and then he sighed.

"Very well. I will do what I can to assist you."

"That's what I want to hear!" Jack declared, not entirely insincerely. He glanced over his shoulder and waved a hand toward the forest.

"What the hell is this place? I thought trees were an endangered species on this planet."

"This is a bioengineering lab," the spectacled man replied. "It specialized in the study of terraforming."

"And the purple glow?"

"When the Eridium veins started appearing across Pandora, an extensive deposit manifested below this lab. It wasn't long before the foliage began to show an amethyst hue and the researchers immediately started experimentation with its effect on plant life."

Hyperion's president peered at the other man suspiciously.

"And who are you again? You know an awful lot about this facility."

His counterpart began fidgeting once more.

"I, uh, am just a man who found this place by accident…" he began, but trailed off as Jack's look darkened. He dropped his gaze from the irritated CEO, his fingers twitching awkwardly.

"You're getting into that 'becoming worth the effort' territory," the president warned the other man. The spectacled gentleman sighed.

"My name is Cassius LeClamaine."

Jack snapped his fingers in realization.

"Right, you're one of Atlas' old lackeys! That's why your face looks familiar. I must have seen it in passing when I was going through the old Atlas files."

Cassius winced and waved his hands rapidly in a 'slow down' gesture.

"Please don't announce that to the world. There are people trying to kill the few of us left."

"Well, Atlas doesn't exactly have the best track record… Sure, they hit the jackpot with the first Vault they found, but then they lost it all once they came here. Millions spent to find another Vault that eluded them, their stock holders lost faith in them, their sales plummeted, the employees that were left here seriously fucked up parts of Pandora's ecosystem—which isn't high on my concern list, given the planet was already a shithole, but my girlfriend's become a bleeding heart ecologist in the last few months, so I'm sort of stuck with it."

"It is less the general losses of the company that cause me apprehension and more of a specific threat that concerns me," Cassius responded worriedly.

"Oh, you must mean Athena," Jack chuckled. "Yeah, she does have it out for all you poor assholes. But you're in good company here. She'd happily take my head with yours if given the chance. So, let's avoid that future, shall we? Give me a hand with finding this upgrade."

Cassius was silent for a moment and then he sighed again.

"Well, given you own Atlas, I guess that by a technicality makes me your employee."

"Damn straight."

"What exactly are you looking for, sir?"

"I am trying to find an item stored here for one of Atlas' last-ditch projects, the Gortys Project. Sound familiar?"

Cassius' lips thinned.

"I was vaguely aware of it, though not involved. But yes, I believe the piece you seek is here. It's out there." He pointed toward the biggest tower in the center of the lab. Jack nodded once in triumph.

"Called it."

"There is a complication to getting it, however," the Atlas scientist advised. The masked man sighed.

"There always is. What's the problem with this one?"

"The Atlas Automated Security System is still active in there. I was never given any of the passwords for it—my team wasn't to have anything to do with that particular project, and we had no need to enter the storage facility."

"Great," Jack sighed. He glanced around the room and gestured to the control panel.

"Do you have access to the security system from here?"

Cassius shook his head.

"Unfortunately, no. Access to the system is only available there, at those security towers." The spectacled man nodded toward the smaller towers arranged in a loose circle around the central facility. Jack frowned irritably.

"Why would they design it this way?" he demanded rhetorically. Cassius shrugged unhelpfully. Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and took a slow breath.

"Well, it's a good thing that I have all the time in the world and I'm not working under a time constraint or anything. Let's go, Clarence."

"Uh, it's Cassius, sir."

"Don't care. Get moving. Trust me, you don't want to be here when the hurricane hits."

The scientist paused as Jack began for the door, rubbing his hands together thoughtfully.

"We haven't had a hurricane in this area for quite a while—"

"I was being metaphorical, cupcake. Let's go!"


	14. Chapter 13

(Author's Note: Happy new year, everyone!)

/

/

Cassius let out the slow breath of a doomed man, but grudgingly followed after the president. Jack stepped out of the office into the dome proper and was all but slapped in the face from the heat and humidity of the biolab. There was an aloft walkway that stretched out over the forest, leading out to the closest security tower, and it offered a magnificent view of the array of plant life. The trees swayed gently in an artificial breeze, the leaves rustling softly.

"This place is still active?" Hyperion's president asked curiously, glancing back at Cassius. The scientist caught up hurriedly.

"It runs on geothermal power," Cassius answered. "Even with the loss of the scientists who maintained it, the basic functions of the lab are still working. Though without some control, you can see that the flora has erupted into chaos."

Jack crossed his arms over his chest and looked over the lab in consideration.

"It's a damn shame this place has fallen into such disrepair. Maybe I'll send a team out to clean it up. I could make use of a terraforming facility. This planet needs all the help it can get in becoming more habitable."

Suddenly, something brushed across his head. The president cursed and dodged back, lifting both arms to take aim with his cannons at a small white creature that gently drifted by.

"Wait, wait!" Cassius protested quickly, holding up a hand in an effort to emphasis his desire for the masked man to hold off. "Don't shoot! They're non-hostile unless aggravated."

"Why the hell do you have a spore loose in here?" Jack demanded, still eyeing the animal. The spore wasn't terribly large—maybe two feet across, mostly round like a deformed bubble and off-white in color with four fins that flapped languidly as it floated through the air.

"Ah, we don't have just one," the Atlas scientist replied as a veritable flock of the creatures began to slowly glide passed them. The president watched the nearly silent animals as they went by, careful to step out of the way when one or two drifted too close.

"Ok, correction. Why do you have a pack of spores in here?"

Cassius let out a strained chuckle.

"This is a bioengineering lab. We worked with animals as well as plants. Also, the spores have a symbiotic relationship with the plants of Pandora. Since they're effectively sightless, they wait for the plants to cover a passing creature in pollen and then use the scent it gives off to—"

"Trust me, I really don't care," Jack cut in. "What I want to know is whether they're going to try and eat our faces off or not."

The Atlas scientist shrugged as he answered simply, "As long as we don't attack them and avoid getting covered in pollen, we'll be fine. They are quite docile."

Even with the reassurance, Jack waited until the last of the beasts had fluttered by before he continued toward the security tower. As he closed the distance at a decent clip, his gaze roved across the forest top warily, very rarely resting in any one place or another. He was positive he still had a lead on the Tediore rep that was no doubt on his trail by this point, but now that he was getting close to the more troublesome of the two upgrades to obtain, he was becoming a bit apprehensive. With the prospect of returning to Opportunity looking like it was just around the corner, the reality of his situation was starting to hit home. He was in an old Atlas facility that perhaps four people knew existed, lost somewhere in the wastes of Pandora with a brutally pragmatic and manipulative megalomaniac (took one to know one, after all) chasing after him with an intent to take what he now had possession of. If she managed to catch up to him, or if things went wrong—not that he expected them to, but if—it meant he had left his city without strong leadership ready to step up, no contingency plans for any of the projects in the works, and a girlfriend with no idea why he had made the decision to leave her behind.

A _pregnant_ girlfriend.

Truth be told, he still wasn't sure how to respond to that news. He felt both elation and unease; the last time he had allowed his family to touch Pandora's soil, his daughter had paid the price for it. Though Nadie was a child of this godforsaken planet through and through, Jack's many enemies had already proven they could be quite creative. While the Siren was inhumanly durable, there were some wounds that her power couldn't heal, and threats to her and their unborn were innumerable. He knew her will was steel and she would fight with teeth and nails if necessary to keep her child safe, but she wasn't invincible. There was a fine line between protecting her and locking her out, and he wasn't sure he knew where it was. Jack had already failed at distinguishing that boundary once before—he had no desire to make the mistake a second time.

His musing was brought to a halt when the two arrived at the security tower. There had been a few moments where Cassius thought about saying something to the president or attempting to broach small talk (an act he was not good at, though felt might be what was expected in this situation), but there was a tightness to Jack's frame that even the socially-inept scientist could hear clearly. So he followed the masked man quietly, waiting for some cue that conversation was invited.

Hyperion's president tapped the button that would open the security tower's door and it slid aside in a smooth motion immediately. The room beyond was covered in a thin layer of dust, but was otherwise clean and orderly.

"Finally," Jack grumbled. "Something's going my way."

"I wouldn't necessarily count on that to continue," Cassius warned carefully. "As I said earlier, I don't have any of the passwords for this terminal, so unless you do, we might be back to square one."

Jack interlaced his fingers and stretched out his arms, cracking his knuckles simultaneously as he closed the distance to the main computer panel.

"A simple passcode security system is just a morning warm up for me. Watch and learn."

He leaned over and began typing, his fingers rapidly striking keys. It took a couple moments to sneak in through backdoors and trick the system, but he laughed in triumph as the access commands for the main security tower came up. Jack read it over and whistled.

"They have some serious firepower in there."

"I imagine they would," Cassius agreed. "Can you turn it off?"

The president snorted derisively.

"At this point, that's as easy as flipping a light switch."

He tapped a key, and the status changed from reading "on" to "off." A few more taps and he had overridden the central tower's door locks as well.

"Yahtzee. We are in."

"That is fantastic news to hear! Now, I presume you no longer require my assistance? You simply have to take the lift down to the ground level and cross the lab to the armory. It shouldn't take you more than ten minutes, tops."

"Nah, nah, nah," Jack replied, shaking his head. "I remember you saying something about avoiding getting covered in pollen. You know this place better than I do, and the last thing I want to do is stumble on some genetically modified man-eating plant. Let's go."

Cassius sighed lowly, but turned and started for the door to board the lift which sat just beside the tower. Jack joined him and the scientist morosely activated the elevator so that it began a slow descent.

"Oh, don't look so glum," Jack ordered brightly. "We're almost done. We'll get in, I'll get my upgrade, and then we'll be done and you can go back to whatever the hell it was you were doing before all this got started."

"I cannot emphasize how much I am looking forward to it," the Atlas scientist responded.

The lift came to a stop at ground level and Jack waved a permissive hand, silently instructing Cassius to take the lead. The scientist reluctantly did so, glancing around at the foliage uneasily.

"What's wrong, Cameron?" the masked man questioned, the hint of barbs in his voice. "I thought you said all we needed to do was not attack the spores and avoid flowers. Why the nervousness?"

"It's Cassius, sir," was the long-suffering protest. "Those were appropriate instructions while on the walkway. Our situation is a tad different now."

"Well, let's hope we don't find out how different."

"Agreed."

Without any further discussions, Cassius began leading the president into the forest. Neither volunteered anymore chatter, each man paying close attention to their environment now that they were in the heart of the lab. Whatever luck was guiding Jack on his path held out—it wasn't long before the doors to the main security tower came into view.

"See?" Cassius waved a hand. "We made it safe and sound! Now, I'll leave you… to…"

He fell silent as Jack fixed a flat look on him. The scientist fidgeted for a moment, and then his shoulders slumped.

"Yes, I will remain and guide you back," he muttered unhappily. Jack nodded once.

"See? We're getting along just fine."

The president tapped the button on the panel beside the door, a delighted grin curling his lips when the door instantly opened.

The chamber beyond was, in Jack's opinion, a humungous waste of space. It was a large, cylindrical room, sizeable enough that he could have a comfortably held a board meeting in it and had space for a buffet table, hot tub, and open bar as well. Along the upper part of the wall were turret nodes, none of which were currently active, thankfully, and in the center of the chamber was a single dais. Floating above it was a flat piece of metal shaped into a circle like a pie or cake mold.

"I'll, uh, I'll wait here," Cassius volunteered uneasily, eyeing the turret mounts.

"They're not going to randomly start firing," Jack assured him even as he began to approach what had to be the upgrade.

"All the same, I'll remain back here until we're ready to go."

"Suit yourself," was the dismissive reply. The president approached the dais, slowing a little as he drew closer and began looking it over for any final security systems, but seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he reached out and picked up the upgrade.

"Hello, beautiful, I am happy to see you," he all but purred. He turned and looked back at the Atlas scientist.

"See? This worked out just fine!"

That statement heralded the end of the luck that had been guiding him on his path. The door to the security tower slid open and a familiar emerald haired woman stepped in with a trio of companions in tow. Jack groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Aw, hell."

Cassius, who had quickly scampered to the side when the door opened, made a choked noise of shock and his mouth fell open.

"Mrs. Tirrell?"

Amelia let out an irritated breath through her teeth and stretched an arm out toward him, a gun digitizing in her hand.

"It's Tediore now," she snapped and then pulled the trigger.

/

/

"How far do we have to go?" Nadie yelled as she clung to the back of Nahnish as the stalker lunged through the snow. She almost had to scream her question as the wind had whipped up the further they progressed into the barren wasteland. The gentlemen accompanying her were in a truck that was keeping pace not far to the left of them.

 _"We are almost there. No need to fuss."_

"I've never seen this much snow before!"

 _"Well, winter is coming, kit. It won't be long before it's time for us to sleep."_

"You are not allowed to go to sleep until I find my mate!" the Siren ordered sharply. The animal beneath her shook as she laughed.

 _"I am not ready to sleep. The Spirit of the Land still demands my presence. You are not ready to bear it alone."_

"Actually, since you bring that up, I had some thoughts on that."

 _"Oh?"_

"The style of fighting you've been teaching me… it emphasizes hand to hand combat as opposed to ranged."

 _"You should be using your claws, kit, but you sadly don't have any."_

"And that's what I've been musing on. I've never created anything for melee combat before—frankly, I'm in that crowd of people that thinks if I can kill someone from way the hell over there, why would I want to get in their face and have to smell their breath?"

 _"You humans and your projectiles. It takes the fun out of the hunt. You don't get to watch your prey panic and kick up soil as it begins to run. You don't get to smell its fear on the wind as you chase it down, leaping in and out of sight to keep it frightened. You never enjoy the satisfaction of your claws digging into your prey's flesh. It's exhilarating, kit. You have no idea what you're missing."_

"While I would normally say that I'll take your word for it, I actually did start designing a weapon set that would, in theory, let me get a glimpse of your world. Bloody as it may be."

 _"Do tell."_

"Thanks to my Siren power, I'm already pretty durable and quick on my feet—"

 _"And you will find that the Spirit of the Land will enhance those qualities the longer it resides within you,"_ Nahnish interrupted. Nadie, who had been prepared to keep talking, let out her breath in a surprised puff.

"Bwah? What?"

The Siren felt a wave of amusement brush across her mind.

 _"Really, kit? Did you think the only power within the Spirit of the Land was the ability to speak with those native to this world? It is far more complex than that."_

"How so?" the green haired woman demanded. As much as Nadie had spent most of her life dreaming of finding the Eridian artifact, all the legends had ever spoken of was its ability to command the fauna of Pandora. Even the gift to speak with animals had been a surprise, though it was at least in keeping with the power the relic was rumored to have. The fact that Nahnish was indicating the artifact was going to have an effect on her in a more personal manner did not put her mind at ease.

 _"The Spirit of the Land is the heart and will of this world,"_ the stalker explained patiently. _"It is the embodiment of life and the consciousness of this place we call home. You shelter it, kit, and thus you are bound by its needs and responsibilities. However, these obligations do not come without certain boons. Enhanced strength and speed are just pleasant side effects."_

Before the Siren could ask any further questions, Nahnish continued, _"Our discussion will have to wait. We're here."_

Nadie looked up immediately, peering through the icy wind and falling sleet. The stalker crested a large dune, revealing a huge dome nestled amongst the snow-covered hills.

"Woah," the Siren breathed. "What the heck is this place?"

 _"Unnatural,"_ Nahnish replied as the truck pulled to a stop next to them.

"Is that where we're going?" Greg yelled over the wind.

"Yeah!" Nadie answered. She looked down at the stalker. "Take us to the entrance, Nahnish."

The beast huffed once, but lunged down through the snow toward the facility. The truck's engine growled and sleet flew up from underneath its tires as it started after the stalker. Nadie straightened on the back of Nahnish, studying the dome as they approached, looking it over for any clues as to its reason for existence. Plant life flourished in abundance before the entryway to the dome, and the green haired woman felt something go tight in her gut when she spotted the abnormal glow the foliage emitted. Sirens has a complex relationship with the Eridium ore that had emerged across Pandora—it could boost the power each Siren was gifted with at birth to an unbelievable and, frankly, terrifying level, but it also released ability-enhancing chemicals that only Sirens seemed to produce. Those chemicals were directly tied to the activation of a respective Siren's power, but the ore enhanced them to a potentially dangerous potency. Nadie hadn't been aware of Eridium's effect until a couple months prior when Jack had supplied her with some to heal the mortally wounded Vault Hunter Brick. The president had sternly informed her that she should never touch the ore again, and between her busy life and his expressed desires, she hadn't really considered going out of her way to try it once more. That being said, there were still moments where memories of that wave of power, that knowledge she was unstoppable, overtook her, and seeing that amethyst sheen sent a burst of anticipation through her.

Nadie shook her head sharply to banish the sensation as Nahnish slowed to a stop before the entrance to a smaller dome attached to the larger.

 _"He is here. I do not smell a fresh scent from him; he has not yet left. There are new ones, however. Be careful in there, kit. I do not know if these new soft folk are friend or foe."_

"They are definitely not allies," the Siren replied grimly and climbed off the stalker's back. Greg brought the truck to a halt a slight distance back and the trio of men climbed out and walked over to join her.

"Do we know what we're walking into?" Juan asked. Nadie shook her head.

"Not yet. But I don't hear any gunshots, so until we have a better gasp on the situation, we go in quietly."

"Aw, babe, that's so not my style," Greg pouted. The Siren gave him a wry grin.

"Don't I know it. Let's go."


	15. Chapter 14

The foursome made their way into the headquarters that was attached to the lab proper. Nadie gave it a cursory glance, but Francisco studied it a little longer.

"There've been people through here recently. Looks like someone's been living here, too."

"And I thought that hovel you call a home in Erikeep was small," the doppelganger needled gently. Nadie shot him a look and he flashed her a toothy smile.

"Cute," she sighed before starting for the door into the lab.

The moment she stepped out into the artificial humidity of the biodome, she stopped, overwhelmed by the stretch of green, blue, and purple foliage. It was a beautiful sight, alien to the eyes of a woman who had grown up in the desert.

"Sweet cheeks, we really should get down amongst the trees. We're completely visible up here," the doppelganger advised from behind her.

"Yeah, you're right."

They quickly moved to one of the lifts and made their way to the ground floor.

"This is a lot of territory to cover," Juan observed worriedly. Francisco glanced over at him and then at the couple.

"Teams of two?" he suggested. Greg nodded.

"Keep your head down, stay quiet. You see any of them, you let us know immediately." The masked man tapped his Echo. The Tediore brothers nodded silently.

Once the lift came to a stop, Greg stepped out and cautiously began making his way into the forest, Nadie on his heels, scanning the area around them. Juan and Francisco veered off at an angle from them and vanished amongst the trees.

"You think he's here?" Greg inquired, his voice a low whisper.

"I know he is," the Siren replied. "And I am going to have some very choice words for him when I see him."

"Better store it until we're in a safe place. We don't need you chewing him out in the middle of a firefight."

"Mm. No promises."

Meanwhile, Juan was frowning in the direction of Francisco's head, though the expression of irritation wasn't directed at him.

"What do you think about all this?" he questioned of his younger brother. Francisco paused and shook his head uneasily.

"I don't know. They definitely know something they're not telling us."

"If you were worried about it, we could have split into teams the other way," the older Tediore pointed out.

"I would rather have someone at my back I can trust to not shoot me in it," Francisco responded dryly.

Not far from the brothers Tediore and above the canopy, Xavier perked up from sighting down the barrel of his sniper rifle and glanced over when he heard brush move. He narrowed his eyes and bit back a curse when he saw the young men silently weaving in and out of the foliage. With a reluctant sigh, he reached up and tapped his Echo, pitching his voice low.

"Amelia? We have a problem."

The representative's reply was quick and her tone curt.

"You mean other than the man we've been chasing going invisible in front of our eyes and escaping out into a veritable forest for us to have to hunt down?"

"Yeah, other than that. The kids are here."

Amelia didn't respond immediately, but in his mind's eye, Xavier could see her pinching her nose as she considered her options.

"I was really hoping they would behave and stay out of this. I had no interest in removing them. However, I cannot afford the risk. Make it look like an accident. We cannot be seen as having a hand in it, and, loathe as I am to admit it, I need Hyperion's name to stay clean of it as well. For now, at least."

"Yes, ma'am."

Xavier swung his rifle around toward the young men and settled his eye in front of the scope, taking careful aim. Francisco paused in his passage for a moment and then flinched when the sharp crack of a rifle sounded and a nearby flowering plant detonated, covering them in pollen. Juan cursed in surprise and both brothers dropped to the ground to avoid being targets for additional shots.

"Plech." The eldest sibling spat pollen out of his mouth. "What the hell? He missed?!"

"No," Francisco sighed worriedly, looking up through the trees as a cloud of spores, now illuminated an angry red, descended toward them swiftly.

"I think he hit exactly what he was aiming for."

Some distance into the forest, Greg and Nadie peered through the brush at Amelia, who was standing in a slight clearing, frowning thoughtfully.

"Do we jump her?" the doppelganger questioned unsurely.

The representative tilted her head suddenly and her face clouded over as she spoke tersely, her words clearly a response to something she heard on her Echo. Amelia pinched her nose and then spoke quickly, and after a moment, they heard a rifle shot.

"The Tediores," Greg observed worriedly.

"Go help them," Nadie ordered. "I'll deal with my mother."

"Alone? Are you crazy?"

"She's alone, too," the Siren retorted. "Her lackeys are going to be on their way to that gunshot. The boys will need help. I can manage her on my own."

The doppelganger hesitated, and then a burst of gunfire sounded from the direction of the Tediores.

"Go," Nadie commanded again. "I'm a big girl. I can handle one woman."

Greg gritted his teeth.

"I think this is too emotional for you," he responded warningly, but he backed up quietly and disappeared into the forest toward the Tediores as instructed. Nadie waited until he was out of sight and then turned her attention back to her mother, beginning a silent approach. Something must have alerted the older woman, however, because she looked up sharply and her eyes narrowed when she spotted the Siren.

"My goodness," Amelia sighed. "All the children are out and about today. Stay out of this, Nadalie. You're not in my way yet, but you're getting dangerously close to that point."

"Need I remind you that you are hunting down my boyfriend, Mother? That sort of makes this my problem."

The older woman sighed deeply and gave her daughter a slight, benevolent smile.

"Oh, my dear, there are always other lovers in the galaxies. They're much like being employed—you get far more benefit in transferring from one to another."

Nadie snorted.

"Did the benefits of being with Dad run out? Was he just another job that grew to have too many responsibilities and not enough rewards?" the Siren sneered. Amelia's face faltered and the smile faded.

"Watch your tongue, child. You have no idea what danger you're courting right now."

"I don't, huh? I'm sorry, am I being passive aggressive toward the woman who betrayed both her husband and her child? Or is this considered being inappropriately aggressive? You know, my knowledge of proper family etiquette is a little fuzzy at times. Must have inherited that unethical behavior from my mother."

"Nadalie Tirrell," Amelia all but snarled between her teeth, fists clenching at the provocation.

"Oh, almost my full name! Am I angering you, Mother? Let's see if I can get my middle name out of you, too," the Siren growled.

Suddenly, something slammed into Nadie, sending her careening into a nearby tree. She swallowed a yelp of protest as the wood shattered beneath the blow and she felt ribs crack. The ground was unforgiving and more bolts of agony shot through her as she fell to the soil.

"Fuck," she wheezed and her power ignited, her Siren gift rapidly repairing her body.

"Amelia, Amelia!" Zoe cried excitedly. "She has purple wings! How'd she get those?"

"She's a Siren," the representative replied as Nadie got to her feet woozily. "Thank you for your intervention, Zoe."

"You're welcome, ma'am. Oh! She's getting up! Not many people do that after I hit them!"

"She's a healer," Amelia explained patiently, watching her daughter straighten and face them, hate blazing in eyes so like her own. "She will prove to have an unprecedented resilience."

Zoe gasped in delight.

"You mean I can hit her and she'll keep getting back up? Oh! We're going to have so much fun!" the short woman decreed in pleasure, crouching down for a heartbeat before she closed the distance with Nadie once more. The Siren braced herself for the collision, but the force of the blow was akin to getting hit by a bullymong—the impact sent her sailing back once more. She caught herself and slowed her flight by smashing through another tree, but she felt pain shoot across her body as it screamed in protest about the abuse. Her wings flared once more and she coughed, looking up to study the black haired woman across from her who bounced on her feet in giddy excitement.

Abruptly, a massive blast of light burst through the trees like a sun released from imprisonment, barreling straight toward the Tediore representative. Zoe and Nadie looked up in surprise as Amelia cursed in shock.

"Amelia!" Zoe screamed, and she dashed toward her, impossibly fast, colliding with the amethyst eyed representative to push her out of the way. The black haired woman let out a piercing scream as the light blast enveloped her in Amelia's place.

"Zoe!" Amelia shrieked.

"And you say I'm trouble walking," Jack grumbled as he caught hold of the Siren's arms and helped her to her feet. "Come on, come on, we have got to go!"

"Xavier! Connor!" Amelia bellowed in fury.

"Where have you been?" Nadie demanded as she quickly followed the president's lead and dashed into the trees after him.

"Trying to stop your mother from stealing our Vault," he retorted. "And now we have to race her to Opportunity as fast as we can!"

"What? Why?"

"You know that trophy collection I keep in my office?"

"Yeah? What about it?"

"Turns out one of the gizmos I inherited from Atlas is a necessary upgrade to this thing." He held out a strange hexagonal object for her to see.

"What the hell is that?" the Siren sputtered.

"A Key," Jack replied. "Or the base of one, anyway. It's not useful until we get that last upgrade, though."

If he was going to explain anything further, he didn't get a chance—his feet went out from under him as something caught his ankle mid-run and yanked hard. He yelled a protest as he toppled over and hit the ground, the Key flying out of his grip and tumbling into its two pieces. Nadie spun and dug her feet into the soil, sliding to a halt so she could immediately go to her lover's side. She only got a few paces before a strange fluctuation in the air streaked toward her and impacted with her chest. The blow wasn't anywhere as powerful as what Zoe had been capable of, but it still forced the breath out of the Siren's lungs in a painful burst. The apparition dodged back and then closed in on her again, but Nadie was ready for it this time; she took a swing at it, not exactly sure what she was aiming at, but her fist made contact with something solid. The entity tumbled back, leaves and branches flying away as it slid through the dirt.

"What the hell is that?" Jack demanded as they both stared at it. Whatever it was seemed to be some sort of mirage—there was an odd ripple in the air that didn't so much obscure vision as it made it look like one was peering through disturbed water. That strange effect stilled and then faded as it solidified and darkened into a man wearing a grey colored bodysuit. He was brown haired and his features were completely average and unremarkable. He would have been just another face in the crowd, completely unnoticeable, were the situation not what it was.

That and the SMG with a distinctive green illumination aimed at them which caught their attentions in a very meaningful way.

"Don't move," the chameleon said softly, his voice bland and mundane.

"Babe?" Jack questioned tightly. Nadie shifted, preparing to leap across the distance.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a female voice snapped from behind them. Amelia emerged from out of the trees, puffing a little in exertion and aiming a heavy revolver with the Tediore logo directly at Jack. She pulled the hammer back and gritted her teeth.

"We've had quite enough heroics from both of you today."

Jack and Nadie exchanged a glance and Amelia's lips thinned.

"Go ahead, Daughter. I'll have a bullet in his skull before you touch me."

"You would die," the Siren promised grimly. Amelia's aim didn't falter, but she looked at the younger woman.

"So would you," the representative responded simply. Jack snorted.

"Nadie would kill all of you barehanded faster than you can say, 'Vault Hunters needed,'" he said with a strained chuckle. Amelia gave him a half smile.

"Not the kind of death I mean. Tirrells have always been a 'one lover, one life' kind." She glanced at Nadie. "You would not have believed how romantic your grandfather was. Now, to business."

Behind them, Connor straightened and softly padded over to where the Key had fallen. He leaned down and made to pick it up, but the moment he touched one of the pieces, there was a crackle of electricity. He snatched his hand back with a slight hiss and looked up at Amelia.

"It's bound to his biometrics," the chameleon observed. The representative sighed.

"Nothing has gone my way today. Do it."

Connor reached to his belt and donned a single glove on his right hand. Once he was satisfied with its fit, he approached the president who leaned away in suspicion. Amelia clicked her tongue chidingly.

"Don't fuss. I have been told this doesn't hurt."

The chameleon grabbed hold of one of Jack's arms. The Hyperion president made a face of distaste and Nadie flinched toward him. Amelia shot her daughter a warning look, but Jack shook his head once slightly. At the unspoken order, the Siren subsided. After a moment, circuitry across the glove lit up in a bright blue glow and Connor released Jack, turning to go pick up the Key once more. This time, he was able to retrieve it without incident.

"What the hell?" Hyperion's president protested. "You people regularly walk around with high-tech equipment that can copy a person's biometrics?"

"You'd be surprised how often people safeguard their strongholds in such a way," Amelia replied. "It's convenient for me to have easy access to such locations. Now, will you kindly hand the upgrade to my assistant, or do I have to take it off your corpse? This gun is getting heavy, and I imagine emptying a clip into you will lighten it quite a bit."

Jack glowered at Amelia, but he grudgingly reached into his jacket and pulled out the large metal ring. Nadie glanced at it and then did a double take, quirking an eyebrow at it. The masked man caught her look and shrugged as Connor took it from him.

"What? I didn't design it. If I had, you can bet it wouldn't be scattered across Pandora like some planetary scavenger hunt."

"This seems like it has been sort of ridiculous," the Siren agreed.

"All right," Amelia began, her voice going flat. "On to our final bit of business. Xavier."

At the command, the sniper made his way out of the trees, his rifle slung across his back and the heavily burned body of Zoe in his arms. The woman moaned softly at the movement, clearly alive, but in a great amount of pain.

"Damn, what does it take to kill you people?" Jack swore. The Tediore representative shot him a disdainful look.

"More than you're capable of." She turned her gaze on Nadie. "Heal her."

"I'm sorry, what?" the Siren sputtered. "Why in hell would I do that?!"

Amelia simply walked closer and placed her gun directly to Jack's head while the president's eyes narrowed. She looked back at her daughter with an inviting expression, daring the younger woman to test her. Nadie's shoulders tightened, but she dropped her gaze.

"Ah, that's why," the Siren muttered to herself angrily.

"Trust me, I've been following this man through the wastes for days now. I would not mind putting a bullet in his skull," the representative assured her. "Heal Zoe. I will not ask again."

"It's not much of a request," Jack said snidely. "Don't do it, babe. We'll get through this somehow."

"No more stalling, child," Amelia ordered tightly. "I am not going to wait to see if my stepsons manage to return from their ordeal. Now or never."

Nadie gritted her teeth, but she turned her gaze to the half-conscious woman. She didn't have to concentrate or command her power—activating Phasemend was as simple as flexing a muscle. She heard Jack call her name in a belated objection, but her mother was right; Nadie would do whatever it took to keep her boyfriend safe. Luminescent wings of amethyst light erupted from her back and her Siren markings went from being their inactive pale blue to a glowing purple as her power brushed over Zoe's body. The wounded woman's skin sealed and smoothed, the burns that twisted her features faded, and she let out a long, relieved sigh and slumped in Xavier's arms. The sniper studied her in concern and then let out a grateful breath.

"She's asleep," he informed his superior. Amelia closed her eyes, not dropping her gun, clearly taking a moment to let that information sink in, before looking down to meet her daughter's gaze.

"Thank you," the representative said sincerely.

Then she pulled the trigger.


	16. Chapter 15

…Then she pulled the trigger.

" _No!"_ the Siren screamed and lunged forward, though whether it was to catch Jack's falling body or to leap at her mother, she wasn't sure. She summoned her power, trying desperately to ignite her gift even knowing it was likely too late, but so recently used to repair a substantial amount of damage, Phasemend was slow to come at her command. The Siren had never fully understood it, but like breathing, there was a normal cyclical behavior to her gift—it would swell up to full power at initial ignition, and then when used, it would deplete to effectively recharge. Like a desperate gasp for air, she could try and force it to rise out of that dormant state, but as a half breath, it would be weak and barely sustaining.

Before the Siren could succeed at closing the distance, however, Connor fired and lodged two shots in both of her shoulders. Nadie howled and fell back as the corrosive effect ate into her skin, letting off a putrid smell as her flesh sizzled.

"No, I did not mind that at all," Amelia sighed in contentment. "Thank you, Connor."

"You _whore_ ," Nadie snarled in rage, straightening even as agony shot through her. As if only motivated by the danger to her own body, the markings on her left side began to glow dully and the consumption of the corrosive effect ceased.

Amelia looked at her daughter coldly.

"I am loyal to one man and what financial gains I attain from that relationship are simply the benefits of my position and skill. So if you're going to curse me, make sure you chose your title with better care, child."

"Then how about pariah?" the Siren growled. "How about dead woman walking? Because I swear to you, Mother, your feet will _not_ leave Pandora's soil. You are going to die here."

Amelia lifted the revolver and aimed it at her.

"Big words for a girl without a gun."

"I don't need a weapon to rend you apart," Nadie snapped with teeth bared, and the markings across her skin began to glow brightly in green and gold. _"Nahnish!"_

The ceiling of the dome shattered and a humongous stalker dropped into the trees above them, breaking branches and lesser trunks with her weight. Amelia let out a gasp of shock and immediately lifted her aim to the animal, Connor swiftly following suit.

"Xavier, get Zoe out of here!" the representative ordered before a yell of protest escaped her when Nadie full-body slammed into her, snarling like a beast.

"Amelia!" Xavier cried. Connor fired on the stalker who turned her attention to him, hissing angrily. The Tediore representative shoved the revolver into her daughter's face and hit the command to detonate it. The blast forced the two women apart, the shrapnel imbedding itself in the Siren's cheeks and eyes, eliciting a scream of pain from her. Amelia cursed and pressed a hand against her own, albeit lesser wounds from the close-range detonation.

"Go! Now!" she repeated, and Xavier raced into the forest toward the facility's exit, Zoe still safely in his arms. Connor dodged back and around the stalker, alternating between firing and cloaking in and out of sight. Nahnish seemed to have no problem with seeing him, and she followed after, but her size hampered her movement, forcing her to exert effort breaking through trees to reach him. Connor used that to his advantage, deliberating leading the animal through thicker foliage, inciting her to expend extra energy to shatter the trees in her way.

Amelia straightened and another revolver digitized in her hand. She closed the distance with Nadie and brought the gun up to be inches from the Siren's head as the younger woman cradled her face, blood pouring from between her fingers.

"Goodbye, Daughter," Amelia said softly.

Suddenly, a shot sounded and a bullet lodged itself in the representative's chest. Amelia howled, more in fury than pain, and stumbled back as a male voice shouted, "Nadie!" Her gaze snapped up to see the man she had just murdered bolting through the trees toward them.

"But— I—" the older woman sputtered, the sight throwing her.

"Amelia!" Connor said, abruptly appearing at her side. "We have to go. Now!"

He yanked her back as the stalker leapt at them. Amelia followed his lead and the two turned and ran while Nahnish lunged after them. Greg skidded to a halt as Nadie crawled across the ground and scooped up the body of her lover into her arms, a mix of blood and tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Fuck," the doppelganger swore and he tapped his Echo.

"They're on their way out," he stated hurriedly. "Do what you can to stop them!"

Nadie looked up at him, rips in her skin healing rapidly, shrapnel being pushed out of naked muscle, her tears clearing of all but the barest hint of pink.

"They die today," she promised. Without waiting for him to reply, she slammed her hand on the soil and her wings burst wide off her back. Greg took a step back in awe—they ignited in a blast of amethyst light, but the edges blazed luminescent ribbons of emerald and gold.

 _"Hound them,"_ she ordered, her words aloud, but she felt the command spread out into the soil like ripples in an ocean. _"Harass them. No vehicle they use remains untouched. No location shall be a safe harbor for them. Shadow them. Tire them. Scare them. Make sure they know I am coming for them."_

There weren't words of acceptance, no voices acknowledging the orders, but the Siren could feel something indefinable change across the face of Pandora. Nahnish hopped over to Nadie's side.

 _"This is not how the Spirit of the Land should be used,"_ she chastised. Nadie looked up at the stalker, eyes blazing.

"I don't give a fuck how it's supposed to be used," she snarled. The Siren turned her gaze to her boyfriend's face and tears welled in her eyes. Grimly, she blinked them away and slipped a hand into his jacket, groping for the inner pocket she knew was there. After a moment, she drew forth a sliver of metal a few inches long and held it up for the doppelganger to see it.

"What is that?" Greg asked.

"It's a password," the Siren replied. "It fits within the Vault Key. We designed it after it was stolen a couple months ago so that if the Key was ever taken again, the thief wouldn't be able to order the Warrior to destroy Opportunity. Take it."

He stared at it for a moment, a pit forming in his stomach, before carefully accepting it.

"What am I supposed to do with it?"

"Amelia is on her way to Opportunity. She knows Jack is dead, but no one else does. I need you to get there first and make a big to-do about her being missing. I need you to go be Jack. No," she corrected herself. "I need you to go be _Handsome_ Jack. And you will need the Warrior to prove it."

The doppelganger tucked the passkey away and then looked back to see her hand him the pendant her father had bequeathed unto them.

"This too?"

"You'll need it sooner than I will."

"What are you going to do?" Greg asked apprehensively.

"Something stupid," she replied tightly.

"And if it doesn't work?"

"Then I won't give a fuck about what happens. Go."

Greg hesitated only a moment more before he turned and began making his way toward the entrance to the facility, not daring to remain any longer and risk angering the Siren further. He waited until he could see the exit before he tapped his Echo.

"I need your help," he said without preamble. "She's out of my league. They're _both_ out of my league."

/

/

"Sonnavabitch, that hurts," Juan grumbled as he jammed an Anshin healing syringe into his arm. Three bullets slowly emerged from his chest and fell to the truck's bed.

"You know, usually most people try to avoid getting shot rather than throw themselves into danger," Greg observed dryly. The older Tediore glowered at the doppelganger.

"I'll remember that the next time I'm trying to stop people you let get passed you," Juan retorted. He glanced over at his brother who was upfront in the passenger seat.

"See anything?"

"Not yet," Francisco replied, shaking his head.

"How the hell do you expect to see anything in this sleet?" Greg demanded. The younger Tediore turned and tapped one temple, indicating his slit eyes.

"You think these are natural? Our mom endorsed bioenhancements. I have boosted perceptions and senses."

"Geeze, are you Tediores all modded up aberrations of science?" the masked man grumbled. He glanced at the other man in the back of the truck. Juan let out a half laugh and hit his chest with a fist.

"100% human, baby, and proud of it! Cat and 'Cisco decided to a bit more… experimental than I was comfortable with."

"Grand," Greg sighed.

"So, if we don't see them, what's the plan?" Francisco asked, peering back out into the wind.

"We get back to Opportunity and stir up the beehive," the doppelganger answered grimly. "Get eyes and ears open and listening, make sure we know the moment she steps foot in my city."

Juan snorted. "You don't think she'll be able to stay under the radar?"

Greg held up one hand, dangling a pendant from between his fingers.

"Let's just say we'll be pointed in the right direction."

/

/

"You saw I shot him, right?" Amelia demanded, an odd lilt to her voice. She hissed as the bullet lodged in her chest was finally ejected by her healing body. "He died!"

"Yes, ma'am," Connor agreed easily. The foursome was in a truck, Xavier at the wheel with Zoe beside him, and the representative and the chameleon were seated in the back.

"Then who the hell was that who showed up at the end?" she spat angrily.

"Ma'am, you know the idea of a body double is not unheard of," Connor informed his superior neutrally.

"How can I be sure I got the right one?!"

"Your daughter seemed pretty pissed," Xavier pointed out from the front. Amelia's hands clenched and she took a slow breath.

"Are we positive she wasn't acting?" the representative snapped. "If I was trying to convince someone that a person they shot was actually dead…"

"She was raised by your ex-husband, right?" Xavier retorted. "There's no way she's as good at that kind of manipulation as you are. Let's be honest, Amelia—a _lot_ of crap went pear shaped in there, so now you're questioning yourself."

Like his words were a chastisement, Zoe flinched from beside him. Xavier continued as if he hadn't noticed.

"There's no doubt in my mind that the man you killed was the real thing. Is it going to be a problem that there's someone with his face running around? Probably. But we'll get through it. This is definitely not the most chaotic situation we've weathered."

"I'm so sorry!" Zoe burst out suddenly. Xavier and Amelia glanced at her in surprise while Connor continued to watch the horizon.

"It's my fault," the black haired young woman went on, tears welling in her eyes. "I got so focused on playing with her that I didn't notice him show up. I should have been paying closer attention to your safety!"

Amelia took a silent breath to still her own emotions and reached out to brush a hand across the younger woman's hair.

"No need to fuss, my dear. Your response time was spectacular and you took the brunt of the attack. You carried out your duties perfectly."

Zoe sniffled.

"If I had carried them out perfectly, they'd both be dead or wishing they were right now," she replied morosely.

"Don't spend another moment worrying about it," the representative instructed. "No use bemoaning 'what ifs.' We have what we have to work with. Xavier's right. We've made it through far worse."

Xavier sighed in satisfaction.

"May I make that my ringtone? 'Xavier's right.' It's just so beautiful, it brings tears to my eyes."

As Zoe scrubbed at her cheeks, Amelia shook her head.

"No, Xavier, you cannot."

"Aw, man! I bet if Zoe asked, you'd say yes!" the sniper mock-whined, looking over at Zoe out of the corner of his eye.

"Of course I would," Amelia responded, crossing her arms over her chest. "She is always right."

Xavier grinned when he saw the corner of Zoe's lips curl upward in pleased embarrassment.

"There it is!" he exclaimed. "There's the smile! Just think, soon we'll be beating in some Hyperion's goons' heads. You'll be enjoying yourself again in no time!"

"You think so?" she questioned timidly.

Amelia turned her attention back to the wastes of Pandora.

"Sneaking back into a fortified city that functions as the headquarters for an enemy company all so we can get an item that will open an alien vault. Yes, I imagine you'll be back to normal before you know it. Now, what is it that's bothering you, Connor?"

The chameleon didn't turn from his vigil of the horizon.

"You're daughter's markings… When they went off that last time, they were multicolored."

"Yes? And what of it?"

"They were solidly purple when she healed Zoe… It was only after she lost her temper that they deviated from that."

Amelia studied her subordinate.

"You think that is significant."

It wasn't really a question—the representative knew if Connor was bringing it up, it meant he thought it was worthy of note.

"I have learned never to underestimate women, uncivilized lands, and Sirens, in that order," he replied.

"She's a healer," Amelia retorted. "That's all."

Connor turned to look at her, those bland eyes peering at her, before returning to his watch.

"You are usually very in tune to danger, ma'am. However, I think your familial bond is blinding you in this endeavor. As much as Xavier maligns the situation by dismissing her skills due to her upbringing—"

"Hey, that's not what I said," Xavier interrupted, but Connor went on unperturbed.

"The fact of the matter is, you made her very, very angry. And she _is_ your daughter."

"You think I should have killed her."

"I think you should have killed her _first_."

"Mm." Amelia looked away, her lips pursed as she considered the matter. After a moment, she sighed.

"I do not wish to kill her. She is my daughter, after all. However, if she gets in my way, I will put a bullet in her heart."

"Better aim for the head," Xavier advised from the front. "If you don't kill her immediately, she's just going to get back up."

"And she will come," Connor added. Amelia smiled thinly, but it wasn't an expression of amusement.

"She _is_ a Tirrell."

And then something big smashed into the truck.


	17. Chapter 16

_"What do you plan on doing, kit?"_ Nahnish demanded, shifting her body weight restlessly. _"Your prey escapes."_

"I know where they're going, and it's not going to be an easy trip," the Siren retorted sharply as she propped Jack's body up against a tree. "I have far more pressing matters before me."

 _"You intend to try and heal him? Kit, he is beyond your grasp. Even the Spirit of the Land could not help you bring him back."_

"Your opinion is noted. However, I wasn't planning on using the Heart." Nadie stood and pulled off her boots and socks, placing her bare feet back on the soil and digging them into the dirt.

 _"Then how do you propose to perform this miracle?"_

"How much Eridium do you think is in this place?" the green haired woman replied tightly, stretching her senses out. The ground beneath her feet almost pulsed with the potential power. Nahnish cocked her head to the side, her markings shifting to a pale orange.

 _"You propose to use the blood of the numen?"_ The stalker's tone was bewildered.

"Funny thing about it… It boosts Siren powers to an unbelievable degree. And this place is full of it." She kneeled down before her lover and reached out toward his body, ignoring the tremble in her fingers. "If anything will allow me to perform a miracle, it will be this."

 _"Kit, you cannot suffuse yourself with that filth!"_ Nahnish ordered sharply. _"It will poison and corrupt you!"_

 _"I don't care!"_ Nadie howled, surging to her feet and lunging across the way toward the stalker. Nahnish attempted to flinch back, but Nadie caught her head with an open palm and slammed it into the soil.

"I don't care," she snarled again angrily, her fingers digging into the stalker's skin. "I will burn this world to the ground if that's what it takes to bring him back! _Do you understand me?!"_

Nahnish struggled beneath her grip, the bioluminescent markings lightening into a shade of yellow. The stalker wriggled as she attempted to turn her head and break eye contact with the fuming Siren. It took Nadie a long moment for the body language to sink in, but when it finally did, she snatched her hand back.

Nahnish was scared of her.

"I'm sorry," the Siren apologized awkwardly, turning back to Jack's body once more.

 _"Kit, please be careful,"_ Nahnish pleaded softly, her gaze still aimed down and to the side of the Siren, slowly vanishing from view. _"It is not just your life you gamble with."_

One of Nadie's hands slid over her stomach and a wave of fear went through her—she had no idea what danger she might be putting her child in or what consequences it might suffer for her actions.

For a long moment, she considered the potential repercussions of her decisions, but after a few minutes, she gritted her teeth.

"I'm sorry, Nahnish, but I'm just too selfish."

Before the stalker could say anything further, her wings ignited in an amethyst blaze. The soles of her feet grew warm as her Siren gift began to leech up the Eridium infusing the environment, consuming it to enhance her power. The markings that ran across her left side began to glow brighter and brighter, their illumination easily shining through the cloth that covered them.

Nadie had handled Eridium only once before, but consuming it now was just as satisfying as it had been then. Strength suffused her veins, power sang in her bones, and every tiny twinge and ache vanished like fog before a morning sun. The innate physical limitations that kept her body from overexerting itself disconnected, the inbuilt safety protocols no longer required as unnatural regeneration repaired inconsistencies and forced response times to their maximum. The Siren could feel every millimeter of her own body, from the flutter of blood traveling through her veins to the energy that was being diverted to her womb. She sensed the new life respond to the influx of power, and as it welled within her, the Siren burned away any chance of disease, mutation, or imperfection.

Even the use of her power to secure such an important future was barely a drop of the energy that welled within her, and when the pleasure of the power began to become pain, she turned her attention to her fallen lover, pouring it into his shell, willing life into it once more. She couldn't think of anything else but hearing his voice again, or feeling his touch in the dark of the night when she was lost in thought. She couldn't imagine facing the next sunrise without his sharp tongue chastising her for keeping him up all night. The thought of never feeling that mix of irritation and affection when he likened her to an animal made her stomach twist in sorrow. She couldn't—no, _wouldn't_ —let him go.

He still owed her three words.

The Siren's power rattled through her bones, painful and invigorating, as she squeezed every iota of healing out of her and into him. Her vision blurred and she fell to her knees, barely able to prop herself up as all her strength went into her focus. She rung herself dry of any power she could clutch at, willing it into one last burst, praying it would be enough.

Then, like the speed at which her gift welled up at her command, it was gone, leaving her gasping for breath and desperately hoping. The Siren examined Jack intently, looking for any sign that it had worked. The bullet wound, both entry and exit, was completely healed, but his chest remained unmoving. Heartbeats stretched, her anxiousness palpable, and then he abruptly sat up with a ragged gasp.

"Holy crap!" he swore, his head dropping as he clasped at his skull with his hands. "Sonnovabitch! That _hurt_!"

"Jack!" Nadie yelped in relief and threw herself on him.

"Ouch!" he protested as he knocked his head into the tree at the force of the collision. "Watch it, babe, that smarts!"

"Sorry!" she apologized weakly as she clutched at him, only now becoming aware of the tears running down her cheeks. "I thought I'd lost you."

"I think you did," he retorted in a groan. "I feel like hell. This is definitely _not_ how I feel after we've had sex… This sucks."

Nadie pushed herself away from him, frowning unhappily.

"Of course it does! That was a .45 that penetrated your skull!"

The president growled.

"That woman plays for keeps."

He looked up and for the first time took in their surroundings.

"What the hell happened here?"

The Siren followed his gaze and felt a pit settle in her stomach—the foliage around them as far as she could see was curled in on itself and brown in death.

"I healed you," Nadie replied. "Or resurrected you. Or something. I'm not entirely sure."

"Shit," he sighed and started to get to his feet. "You drained this place of Eridium. Couldn't you have sapped the life from your mother or something instead?"

"First, I don't think I can do that. Second, she was long gone by that point."

"Oh hell! She's on her way to Opportunity. We've got to get there before her!"

"Woah, hold on a minute!" Nadie protested, catching hold of his arm when he swayed alarmingly. "You're in no shape to jump right back into the fray!"

"If Amelia gets that upgrade before us—"

"She'll what?" the Siren cut in. Jack spun on her, taking an angry breath, but he caught himself at the last moment as he forced himself to actually think about it.

"She'll have to take everything to an Atlas facility," he realized aloud. Nadie stepped up to him and brushed a hand across his chest.

"Why can't we beat her there? Let her get the upgrade. She can bring us everything."

Jack's lips thinned in frustration.

"I don't want that witch in my city."

"You think I do?" Nadie retorted. "But let's face it—she's got the upper hand right now."

The president let out a long sigh and rubbed his forehead wearily.

"This has not gone according to plan."

"You don't say…" the Siren responded dryly. "What _was_ your plan? Why in the world would you go out into danger like this, knowing people were going to try and kill you, and leave me behind? You know, the person who could heal you from any injury? The person who could have made sure shit like this didn't happen?"

"Hey, I had this well in hand until you showed up," he snapped irritably, clearly trying to keep ahold of his own temper. "I wasn't going to bring you out into this mess with me."

Jack winced suddenly and put a hand over his chest.

"I wasn't shot here… Why does my chest feel like it's been stomped on by a bullymong?"

"Your heart stopped beating!" Nadie growled. "It aches because it's back to doing something that doesn't normally happen once it's stopped beating for as long as it had. You are inordinately blessed in that there was so much raw Eridium here. I could never have brought you back without it."

"Yeah… The use of it is not something I'm thrilled with, but I appreciate its effect." He took a deep, experimental breath, rubbing at his sternum.

"'Appreciate'?" the Siren repeated indignantly. "Jack, you were _dead_! Amelia shot you! You were gone from this world! And all you can say is you 'appreciate' the effort?!"

"That's not what I said!" he snarled, spinning on her. "Goddamnit, Nadalie, I was _not_ going to bring my pregnant girlfriend into danger with me!"

She flinched, the words striking a chord within her, but anger surged back to the forefront swiftly.

"So, rather than let someone come with you who's more than competent on a battlefield, knows how to take care of herself, and—more importantly—can take care of you, you decide to go off gallivanting with no backup nor contingency plan?! How is that any better than just letting me come along? Do you really not trust me that much, even after all we've been through together?!"

His expression twisted and he lunged forward and grabbed her shoulders abruptly.

"I can't lose you, Nadie!" he all but yelled, almost shaking her in emphasis. "I _cannot_ lose you." His grip on her remained tight, but his face fell as he looked down.

"I've already lost a wife and daughter once before. I _cannot_ go through it again."

What anger and frustration that still burned through her softened and was replaced with empathic pain. She brought her hands up to cup his cheeks and forced him to look up at her.

"So you expect me to accept losing my lover and the father of my child instead? How is that fair?"

"Nadie, you don't get it. Every woman who's meant something to me has either betrayed me or been killed. I don't want to see you go down either path. Not if I can help it."

She sighed softly.

"Keeping me out is not the way to do that, Jack." She leaned forward and kissed him gently. He was still and unresponsive at first, but after a moment, he relaxed into the contact.

"Look," the Siren began, pulling away slightly, "I know it's hard to trust, and I know there are no guarantees in life. And the fact you're trying to protect me… protect _us_ ," she corrected, letting one hand fall to rest over her belly, "means the world to me. But protecting 'us' means protecting yourself, too."

"I knew exactly what I was doing."

"Really? Leaving your city in the hands of an untried socialite who has no clue how to handle sensitive negotiations, not mentioning to your closest assistant and your girlfriend that you're doing something potentially life-threatening, and leaving a body double in your place who's woefully out classed is what you consider 'knowing what you're doing'? You didn't even take the Vault Key as a plan B!"

"Couldn't," he replied with a shrug. "It was under constant surveillance. It would have taken me too long to engineer a situation where it going missing would be overlooked. I made sure to take the passkey with me, just in case." He reached up and patted his pocket, and Nadie watched an expression of concern flash across his face when he didn't feel it.

"Don't panic," she assured him hastily. "I took it."

Jack gave her a suspicious look.

"Where is it now?"

"With your doppelganger."

"What?! Why would you give it to him? Now we _have_ to get to Opportunity. That lunatic is going to destroy my beautiful city on his own!"

Nadie snorted.

"Takes one to know one," she murmured to herself. He frowned.

"What was that, sweetheart?"

"Nothing, lover," the Siren replied quickly.

"I thought so…"

"Give your body double some credit. He is good at what he does, and we needed a Jack in Opportunity for when Amelia gets there and starts trying to convince people that you're dead."

Jack grumbled and started stalking back and forth.

"I don't think he's _that_ good. I mean, it's obvious he didn't convince you. How long did it take you to see through him?"

"First kiss," she answered simply. The president froze and hissed angrily, looking over at her.

"I'm going to kill him," he decreed darkly. Nadie rolled her eyes at his melodrama.

"No, you're not. He sincerely tried to defend himself against my advances."

"Did he sleep with you? I will kill him if he did."

"No, he didn't," she said with a laugh. "He was a good boy who minded his manners like a gentleman."

"He's not doing a very good job at being me, then," he muttered.

"Jack!"

He frowned and tugged her close, placing one hand over her stomach.

"No one gets to sleep with the mother of my child except me."

A strange expression suddenly went across his face and his eyes widened as realization struck him.

"Oh hell, you consumed a ton of Eridium while pregnant. Can you still feel the child? Is it safe?!"

"Relax, love," she soothed quickly, gripping his arm reassuringly. "It's… _they_ are fine."

He froze and then looked up at her slowly.

"They?" Jack repeated. He took a slow breath while she waited for the thought to process.

"They," he said again, this time more a statement and less of a question.

"Ok. What are we talking here? A litter? Do bullymong have litters?"

"First, no they don't," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Second, I'm not a bullymong. Stop being a dick." She tried to scowl at him, but a smile kept fighting it for control of her lips. "No, it's twins."

"All right, first, I don't know how this Heart thing works. It might have all sorts of weird effects on your physiology. Second, I just went from behind dead to finding out we're having twins. I think I'm entitled."

"Mm. Not sure I agree, but we can argue that later. What do we do now?"

"We beat your mother to the Atlas facility," he replied.

"Should I tell Greg to back off on making her life difficult when she gets to Opportunity?"

Jack gave her a perplexed look.

"Who?"

"Your body double."

"Aw, geeze, you know his name? He is _clearly_ not the best doppelganger I have. Tell me, babe, if Amelia gets to Opportunity and just easily passes through without any of the resistance she's expecting, do you think she wouldn't question that?"

"No, she'd definitely think something was up," Nadie responded thoughtfully, nibbling on her lower lip.

"That's what I thought. All right, let's figure out what we have. We're in the middle of nowhere. Who knows we're here?"

"Currently, Greg, Juan, and Francisco."

When he stared at her, she frowned at him.

"Your body double and the Tediore brothers. You really _should_ pay attention to who people are sometimes…"

"Eh, that's what I have you and Jimmy for."

"Speaking of…" she began dryly, but he cut her off.

"So, they're on their way to Opportunity. As are your mother and her lackeys, I surmise?"

"Yes. I have no doubt the boys will get there before them, however. Amelia's going to run into a lot of… complications." She looked down at the markings that danced across her left side.

"Oh, clawed complications? Nicely done, sweetheart. I knew that artifact was going to be useful sometime. Who knows I was dead?"

"Just Amelia, Greg, and me. And he's on his way to make sure no one believes a word Amelia could say about it."

"Ah, that's why you gave him the passcode for the Vault Key. Sweet, this is the best cover I could have hoped for." He rubbed his hands together in delight while Nadie crossed her arms over her chest.

"Too bad it was created by you _actually_ being dead."

"Details," Jack retorted dismissively, waving a hand. "Now, all we need to do is actually get to the facility and not freeze to death on the way there. The getting there is the tough part… Your mother's goons did a number on my truck to make sure I couldn't escape before they found me."

"I think I can help with that. Nahnish?"

At the Siren's request, the gigantic stalker emerged from cloak where she had remained since initially disappearing from view.

"What the hell?!" Jack sputtered and dodged back a step from the beast that sat within easy biting distance.

"Babe, seriously, you couldn't have warned me?"

"Relax," Nadie laughed. "She'll get us where we need to go."

"Sweet cheeks, you expect me to ride a stalker? The only creature worthy of carrying me anywhere is the Warrior. A stalker's not awesome enough for me."

Nahnish turned to him and her markings shifted to an amber color as she growled lowly. Jack's eyes widened as he regarded the animal.

"Holy crap, can it understand me?"

 _"Are you sure he is irreplaceable?"_ Nahnish demanded. _"The long travel has made me quite hungry."_

"Did you not see the light show?" the Siren grumped back at her. "Yes, he is irreplaceable. Be nice."

Nahnish snorted, but her rumble of displeasure faded.

"That's better. And you be nice, too," she added, turning on Jack. The president jolted in surprise.

"I'm always nice!" he protested. When Nadie frowned at him sternly, he grinned and shrugged one shoulder. "Mostly."

"You're incorrigible," she sighed while rolling her eyes, trying to hide her smile. "If you're done antagonizing our only quick way out of here, we should get on the move."

"Yeah, knowing your mother, she's not going to give us much time. Let's go."


	18. Chapter 17

"This is officially not as fun as I was hoping it would be," Rhys huffed unhappily as he continued studying the data on the screen before him.

"Welcome to the joys of running a multibillion dollar company," Mister Blake replied simply, quickly flipping through requests and notifications on his datapad. His countenance was as neutral as ever, but dark rings had taken up residence under his eyes. It was, sadly, not the investigating regarding the missing Tediore rep that had made its mark of exhaustion on the assistant.

"How often is he trying to find clues as to the motives of rival company representatives?" Rhys asked dryly.

"You have no idea what it takes to keep a company on the top of the economic chain, do you?" Mister Blake responded, his tone dispassionate, but it somehow conveyed a level of exasperation. "There are benefits to being the man in charge, but it is not without its challenges."

The men fell silent for a while, each focusing on their own tasks, but then the younger of the two tapped his screen on the desk.

"Ok, so there were only a few people who went in and out of Mrs. Tediore's suite—four from HR, two from Production, two from R&D, and three from Accounting. Each of them has been questioned, and it appears that most of the contact was fairly benign and all of it was in regards to the approved joint project."

"She seems to have done a good job at keeping her overt actions appropriate," Mister Blake agreed.

"Mostly," Rhys nodded, "but there was a bit of an incident right before they left Opportunity. One of the scientists from R&D that had become acquainted with Mrs. Tediore at a prior encounter came to speak with her just before their disappearance was reported. People who passed him said he was extremely agitated and he barely spoke to anyone. He was later found outside the representative's suite unconscious with serious injures—broken ribs, a punctured lung, internal bleeding, shattered sternum…"

Mister Blake frowned thoughtfully.

"He was assaulted?"

Rhys shook his head, more in bewilderment than negation.

"You might think so, and surveillance shows he was struck, but it was only once and straight to his chest. The majority of his injuries were from the impact when he hit the hallway wall. Which we had to send a repair crew to fix, by the way."

The assistant tapped his datapad silently for a moment.

"And who was the aggressor?"

"You're not going to believe this, but it was that little secretary, Zoe."

The assistant's lips curled in a half smile.

"Actually, I do believe it. You can never underestimate a good aide. They are always equipped with exceptional abilities."

Rhys glanced up at him over the computer screen and chuckled dryly.

"Takes one to know one and all that."

Mister Blake tilted his head in acknowledgement, but if he was going to say anything further, it was interrupted by the door slamming open and Jack striding into the room at a rapid pace.

"All right, class, today's lesson is how to teach a manipulative bitch who not to mess with," he began, his tone sharp. Rhys jolted out of his seat.

"Sir! You're back!"

"Amazing observational skills, cupcake. Outta my seat."

The young man rapidly vacated the CEO's chair and the doppelganger masquerading as the president took it.

"I assume then that Mrs. Tediore is inbound with less than noble intentions?" Mister Blake asked curiously, already minimizing windows on his data pad to prepare for more urgent tasks.

"And looking to cause a lot of trouble," Greg agreed. "We're going to be ready to dish it back in spades and I need you to do a little footwork for me. Rhys, you're going to get your hands dirty. Get down to the security station and get the loaders into sentinel mode. I know you have those permissions in the codes I gave you, so you shouldn't have a problem. I want them on alert for any unwelcome visitors to the city."

"Yes, sir!" the young man replied instantly.

"Sir, we have some evidence that there may be Hyperion employees sympathetic to her cause," Mister Blake informed his superior. "They could present a serious complication."

The doppelganger tapped his fingers on the top of his desk and then shrugged a shoulder.

"Well, when they let their traitorous flag fly, they can fly it while the Warrior chases them down. He needs a little exercise."

"As you wish, sir," the assistant nodded.

Greg glanced over and frowned at Rhys.

"Those loaders aren't going to reprogram themselves. Get going, kid!"

"Shall I also put security on alert while I'm at it, sir?"

The doppelganger paused in thought for a moment before he glanced over at Mister Blake.

"Did she have any contact with the security team?"

"Not directly, sir, but we haven't had the chance to complete our investigation of her associates."

Greg leaned back in his chair and his lips thinned as he considered the matter.

"She's going to be expecting a fight, and I intend to give her that, but if we have turncoats just waiting for the word, I'm loathe to alert someone with the keys to the kingdom that might let her slide right in. On the other hand, she will try and keep as low a profile as possible and I'd really rather not have things escalate to a full-blown firefight in my city. We've only recently gotten it cleaned up after the veritable menagerie that assaulted us a few months ago."

"Perhaps we could tap the Bureau of Tactical Advantage," the assistant suggested, a thinly veiled title for Hyperion's black ops team.

"Ah, a golden star to Mister Blake!" the doppelganger commended. "That should help keep things contained and hopefully give her some complications of her own to chew on. Get on that, kid," Greg ordered of Rhys. The young man bobbed his head in acknowledgement of the command.

"You got it, boss!" The brown haired man spun on his heel and swiftly exited the office. Greg and Mister Blake both watched him go and then the assistant looked back at him.

"With your permission, sir, I shall take my leave to continue my investigation into Mrs. Tediore's companions."

"You let me know the moment you find something."

"Of course, sir."

Mister Blake walked toward the doors to the office, but he paused a few paces away from them.

"Is he safe?" the assistant asked softly, like he was unsure he wanted the answer. Greg struggled with a response for a moment, immediately understanding the meaning behind the question, caught between not knowing how to respond and frustration that yet another person had seen through him.

No wonder Handsome Jack had ordered him to stay away from both the assistant and the Siren.

"He's with Nadie," the doppelganger finally replied. Mister Blake nodded once shortly, the answer apparently a satisfactory one.

"Then he is safe," the assistant observed and left the office without further comment.

Greg didn't dare correct him.

/

/

"I know Pandora's wildlife is dangerous, but this is ridiculous," Xavier growled as he continued plucking skag teeth out of the skin of his arm. With the obstructions removed, his genetically-enhanced healing rapidly sealed the open wounds.

He couldn't emphasize how grateful he was to Anshin ingenuity right now.

"At no point in my explorations did I see them work so closely in tandem as they are now," Connor replied, tucking away a wicked-looking knife he had just finished cleaning.

Amelia let out an irritated huff.

"Even without your observations, it would be clear that something supernatural is occurring, given that not only does it seem like every beast on Pandora has crawled out of some hellhole, they appear to have tabled any normal species-based hatred in favor of hassling us."

As she spoke, she tossed a Tediore pistol behind her some distance so that it could harmlessly detonate.

"You're going to use the word 'hassle'?" Zoe asked incredulously. "Isn't that a little weak to describe our situation? We've had to kill an army's worth of these things!" She threw her assault rifle after Amelia's firearm, the rifle's explosion less impressive due to the empty clip that had called it home. The representative had only had to discharge her weapon a few times—her assistants made it a priority to keep her from having to involve herself in the more violent aspects of their endeavors, even though she always took the field ready to do what needed to be done.

Amelia let out a short breath.

"If I start using vulgarities now, I'm likely to not stop. It's been a trying day. Connor, give me your thoughts."

The foursome had finally come to a halt on a hill near the edge of the Highlands so they could look at Opportunity where it sat above the ocean.

"Given the delay in our arrival, it is likely that someone within the city has been alerted," the chameleon began. "I've not picked up any transmissions through the EchoNet, but more informal means of notification are quite likely, given the time lapse. Even if they haven't been put on notice, there will inevitably be questions pending our return, given our abrupt departure from the city and Zoe's final interaction with Hyperion's staff."

The secretary frowned.

"That scientist was being unnecessarily persistent!"

"Be that as it may," Connor continued, "there will be unsettled matters awaiting our attention—attention and time we cannot afford to lose."

"So, what are you suggesting?" the violet eyed representative asked tightly.

"Xavier and I go in, only."

"No way!" Zoe protested. "I'm not letting you turn this into some boys' day out while the girls get left behind!"

"Cool your jets, Zo," Xavier cut in quickly. "This isn't an attack on your competency or gender. You and Amelia left the strongest impressions; you both did most of the talking. Connor and I would have an easier time getting in and out without being noticed."

"While I see your point, I'm inclined to agree with Zoe on this one," Amelia responded. "Besides, we have a lot of territory to cover and none of us are exactly sure what we're looking for."

"We do have a direction," the chameleon pointed out, patting the pouch he had tucked the pieces of the Key in.

"Yes, but all you get is a 'this way' indication," the green haired woman retorted. "What you need is a sizable distraction. Zoe and I could provide you with that."

"With all due respect," Connor started, but Amelia interrupted him.

"They're not going to elevate this conflict to an all-out firefight, Connor. There are too many innocents here, and Opportunity is still struggling to regain its appeal after it was assaulted a few months ago. Frequent attacks to a company's headquarters do not do its reputation any good."

"Which means..." Xavier questioned, a sly smile beginning to curl his lips.

"Which means we're going to go light some fires," the representative finished easily.

/

/

Greg paced uneasily.

This was probably the worst job he had ever had.

Generally, he liked his career—yes, masquerading as someone else meant he risked disappearing entirely beneath the mask, but he had lived a fairly boring life before getting brought into the body double program, so the position he filled offered a unique lifestyle most people, himself included, could only have dreamed of. Even if they were only temporary while on floor, he had access to luxuries that most of the people in Opportunity would never be able to afford, and the poor wretches who lived in Pandora's wilds likely didn't even know such amenities existed. The pay was decent and the visitors oftentimes came from a strata of society he'd never have traded glances with, let alone drinks, prior to his employment.

Content with things, he had settled in for a good run at life-long complacency.

All that had changed when he met Nadie. She had confused and frustrated him on their first encounter; it was like she had come to the Hero Hour with every intent to despise it, even though presumably she had spent the money to be there.

However, once they found their footing with each other, his opinion of her rapidly changed—she was intelligent and fairly no-nonsense, and she didn't let the persona he played get away with just about anything. Bit by bit, he began to remember who he was, what his desires and goals were rather than those of the man he portrayed, and for the first time in years, he began to consider his future.

And then things changed abruptly. One night he had been instructed to go home early and that was the last night Nadie came to the Hero Hour. It was sometime later that Leanne had brought him an article on Hyperion's CEO and the photos contained within solved the mystery of the missing gunsmith.

To say Greg's feelings were hurt was an understatement, but he had to commend the man he imitated; Handsome Jack did have excellent taste. Greg didn't fault her for going with the president over some nearly-nameless doppelganger, but in his heart of hearts, he had hoped one day she might come back into his life.

This, however, was _not_ how he had wanted that to manifest.

When he had been contacted to take this job, it had been by Handsome Jack personally. Greg was flabbergasted; not only had the CEO hunted him out at his own home, he knew a surprising amount about the body double. Greg had never for a moment thought he had pinged on Handsome Jack's radar beyond perhaps the initial contact with Nadie, but the president clearly had done some amount of research on his employee before approaching him.

The job had been simple enough—pretend to be Hyperion's CEO for the whole company, not just a visitor or two. The stipulations were straightforward and adamantly stated: be present, but not visible, and avoid Jeffrey Blake and Nadalie Tirrell for as long as possible. Handsome Jack seemed to doubt the doppelganger would be able to keep one or the other of them at bay for too long, but he was to stall them as much as he could. The president was sure he would be back soon.

Obviously, nothing had gone according to plan.

As the hours crept by, Greg had stopped himself from trying to call the Siren several times. On one hand, he wanted to know how she faired and what her plan was. On the other, she had made it very clear that if whatever steps she was about to take failed, she wouldn't care one whit for what happened afterward. While the suspense and stress of waiting chewed at him, he didn't want the confirmation that the worst had been realized.

So the body double paced back and forth in the president's humongous office, regularly holding up the pendant Nadie had given him, checking and rechecking the direction it pointed. Every time he lifted it, it pointed the same way.

Until the time it didn't.

At first he almost didn't notice it. The angle change was so minimal, it could have been as simple as he was a half-step away from where he normally consulted it. However, as he peered closer at it, he watched the point of the star slowly begin to swing to the left. He immediately tapped his Echo.

"She's here," he said, not bothering with a greeting.

/

/

Connor moved quickly. He detested delay, and given that most people didn't give him a second glance, he was unused to it. If he had gotten his way, he would have left his companions safely outside of Opportunity, slipped through the city's security, found their goal, and returned in as minimal amount of time as possible.

But Amelia was Amelia.

Like all of her subordinates, he would die to protect her, and he would always bend to her whims. However, he could tell this mission was beginning to get to her—she was starting to allow her emotions to color her actions and decisions, and that was a major problem.

When Amelia had first come to them and said they were going to Pandora, Connor had voiced his concerns. He knew her estranged family still lived on the planet out in the borderlands, and having seen her talk about her ex-husband on very few, very emotional occasions, he did not think it was a good idea that Amelia tackle this project personally.

The violet eyed lady had dismissed his concern, assuring him she had everything in hand. Besides, and here her voice had dropped to a confidential whisper, the hybrid Tediore/Hyperion project was just an excuse to get to Pandora. She knew where an unclaimed Vault was, and she had every intent of taking it in the name of Tediore.

Her enthusiasm and the prospect of the money and fame that came along with the claim of a Vault was enough to get Xavier's and Zoe's buy-in, but Connor still harbored hesitations. He didn't have any evidence to support his concerns, but he decided that he would remain a bastion of reason and that soft voice in the back of one's head, warning them when they were going too far.

Conner jotted down a note on the map of Opportunity he had acquired and quickly moved on. After insisting his companions give him a head start, the chameleon had sped across the city using the public transportation and fast travel system, triangulating the direction of the upgrade so he could minimize Amelia's exposure to the city as much as possible. While it certainly would have been faster to follow the direction the pieces of the Key gave off, taking the time to pinpoint its location this way gave him the freedom to dodge around any security teams he encountered as well as not risk breaking into guarded buildings before absolutely necessary.

The city seemed awfully quiet for a location that supposedly knew they were coming. Amelia must have been right in that regard—Hyperion didn't want to let things escalate and thus had clearly kept most of the populace in the dark as to their arrival or the death of the CEO.

That was another action of his lady that he was perturbed with. There was nothing wrong with the hostile takeover of a rival company, and in reality, all the companies ached to be able to claim the others as their own, but if that had been Amelia's goal, she should have waited until the hybrid gun project hit the market, establishing a relationship between the two companies. _Then_ she could have tried to take it.

Killing Handsome Jack was something she had done out of frustration more than any logical goal or calculated plan, and that made him extremely nervous.

On the other hand, not killing her daughter _first_ was, in his opinion, a mistake of colossal magnitude.

Granted, Handsome Jack had earned a reputation amongst the companies as almost unnecessarily ruthless and controlled his company with an iron fist, so having gotten on his bad side as she did was not advisable, but flat-out killing him presented serious consequences he was pretty sure she hadn't thought through.

However, leaving a Siren alive who had Amelia's temper and her father's single-minded drive to complete a goal and who had just had to watch the man she loved die was the biggest lapse in judgment he had ever seen of the Lady Tediore. It didn't make a difference that Amelia planned to kill the girl as well before that beast interrupted—Connor was firm in his belief that Amelia should have killed Nadalie first. Handsome Jack, as a company owner, had certain ties and consequences he would face for particular actions, and those could be used against him to proverbially tie his hands. Nadalie, however, was an unknown without those same safety nets and not much to lose now.

The chameleon had only seen Amelia lose control of her anger a scant few times, but it always left an indelible impression on the world around her. He hesitated to imagine what damage a Siren with that same temper could do.

"Contact has been made," a male voice suddenly stated from the alley below him. Connor peered over the edge of the roof he was perched on to see a tall man dressed in seemingly simple black clothes, but the chameleon recognized cutting edge technology interwoven into the fabric, upgrading the cloth to high-end, heavy-duty armor. The man was equipped with small munitions—a pistol tucked away at his lower back and a compact SMG slung under his arm, easily within reach. Connor also noted a few knives stashed away on the man's person in inconspicuous places.

The chameleon recognized the outfit of weaponry; he had worn its same on many occasions.

"Acknowledged," the man below him continued. "Alpha team will move in to collect the target."

Connor looked up and concentrated sharply. On the edge of his hearing, Amelia's voice floated across the breeze, sharp and demanding. Clearly she had found someone she could read the riot act to.

The bland man sighed silently, glanced at his marked-up map, and then tucked it away. He tapped his Echo.

"The item we are looking for is contained within Handsome Jack's office. I'm afraid you will have to collect it—you've caused quite a stir and I now have some clean up to do."

Before Amelia could respond, he terminated the connection, drew forth his knife from its sheath, and then jumped down on the assassin below him without uttering a sound.


	19. Chapter 18

Zoe liked this part of the job. She had never minded accompanying Amelia as her secretary; the black haired woman was good at keeping a schedule, she was particular that people dotted their I's and crossed their T's, and she was happy to play the polite, approachable face of the team. However, in the depths of her soul, she was a bruiser who enjoyed getting her hands dirty, and these tasks were some of her favorite to complete.

A smile curled her lips as she heard the howls of protest and confusion in the Finances office behind her. It wasn't the first time Zoe had interfered in a location's monetary hub. She always liked to start slow and build up steam—show some interest in their accounting program, ask questions about the company's income, let the employees get flustered and deny her any detailed information, and then work herself up into a table-flipping fury. The inevitable looks of shock and horror that she was rewarded with were like candy. Zoe never got tired of it, and only once before had security responded fast enough to cause her any complications.

Today was no different than the average endeavor.

The secretary quickly walked down the hallway, clapping her hands together to brush dust off them, making her way through the Finances quarter to the next hapless office when she found herself looking down the way at Handsome Jack's assistant, Mister Blake. He stood calmly, his suit without creases, a neutral expression on his face like he was waiting for her.

It occurred to her suddenly that she never had gotten his first name. Pity, she would just have to prepare his tombstone without it.

"You know the man you're taking orders from is a fake," Zoe informed the gentleman, her voice raised so that her words would carry down the way to him. She grinned maliciously, anticipating the joy of watching the information hit home. Mister Blake only smiled vaguely.

"Of course he is."

Zoe's look of pleasure faltered.

"You knew? And you're still taking orders from him?"

"It doesn't matter what I know or don't know, my dear. Hyperion's activities must remain undisturbed by this minor scuffle, and if a copy of our president must step in to achieve that, then so be it. It is simply a case of the one for the many. But I wouldn't expect one of such insignificant vision to understand that."

"Why you..." the black haired woman growled, clenching her fists. "I am Lady Amelia's right hand woman, and her vision knows no bounds!"

"It's not her vision I'm questioning," Mister Blake retorted simply. "It's yours."

"You pretentious asshole!" Zoe all but snarled, her temper getting the better of her. She bolted toward the gentleman in his pinstripe suit who just watched her approach calmly. She was a hair's breadth from reaching him when something hard slammed into her suddenly from down an adjoining hallway and a loader bull rushed her away from the assistant. Mister Blake leaned forward to see down the hall the way it had gone and called, "Please be so kind as to take care of this."

"Affirmative," acknowledged the robot, its monotonous voice grating in Zoe's ears. The secretary howled in anger and tucked herself in as much as she could, placing her feet against the loader's chassis and kicking out sharply. Without any real leverage, she was only able to wrench herself out of its grip, making the metal of the robot's arms groan in protest rather than completely rip out of the sockets like she would have liked, but it gave her some breathing room and a chance to get her bearings as she slid to a halt.

The loader had driven her into a large complex that was an unused warehouse made of steel walls and dimly lit with pale halogen lights. Scattered throughout the room were dozens of loaders, all painted bright yellow, several double the size of the one that had rammed into her.

"Target acquired," they all announced simultaneously. Zoe gritted her teeth.

"Oh hell."

/

/

Xavier slipped easily across one building to the next, avoiding the sweeping view of the security cameras. He loved big cities like this—the architecture unintentionally created an easily-navigated highway, allowing him fairly effortless access to just about anywhere he wanted to go.

Today he was heading toward the Research and Development quarter of the city. Connor was responsible for finding the upgrade they needed, and with Zoe and Amelia causing a ruckus, Xavier wasn't required to play distraction, so he had decided he'd go see if he could find this legendary Vault Key that the Hyperion employees spoke of in hushed whispers. The sniper knew from the rumors that it was contained somewhere in R&D, and while Xavier didn't know exactly where it was, he figured he'd be able to find it with a little bit of footwork. He didn't necessarily have any intent to try and make off with it, but if he found the security to be lacking, he knew Amelia would certainly appreciate a trophy from this stressful trip.

Xavier knew this wasn't important to their overall goal, but he continued on anyway. It wasn't that he didn't care about Amelia's plan. It wasn't that he didn't want to help. It was more that his skill set wasn't particularly useful in this current endeavor as it had been divvied out.

If Amelia wanted someone dead suddenly, he could arrange that. If Zoe and she hadn't been creating merry havoc for the lives of Hyperion's employees, he would have served as a distraction. Xavier certainly wasn't useless—he was quick thinking, perceptive, a fantastic shot, and like all the Lady Tediore's subordinates, inhumanly resilient and capable of regenerating from even the most grievous of wounds. She wanted someone hunted down, he would find them on the underside of Hell. She wanted someone's brain matter to paint the wall behind them, he could arrange that.

Outside of that, however, his skills had their limit.

Sometimes, Xavier was pretty sure Amelia kept him around just for his sparkling personality.

"Face it, Xavier," he muttered to himself. "Sometimes you're the badass who gets to save the day, and sometimes you're just the meat and sarcasm guy."

The R&D building sprawled languidly across its quarter, and just from passing over the rooftops, he could tell the layout inside must be like a maze. It actually wasn't unusual for that to be the case, and there was good reason for that—if spies or thieves made it in, the last thing a company would want would be for them to get out easily with advanced technology or trade secrets. Thus, the layout was designed to be intentionally confusing.

Not unlike prisons, to be fair. Or the back halls of courthouses. He had spent some substantial time in both.

The central hub of R&D stood tall at the center of the city, its height challenged only by Handsome Jack's office, both buildings serving as a reminder to the people of Opportunity that Handsome Jack was important above all, but that their safety and profit came through innovation. Xavier wasn't planning on making his way toward the main tower until he saw flashes of yellow and orange light flicker within the glass structure. Curious, he altered course and began to close the distance, intrigued to see what was going on in the lab. He climbed up to a higher rooftop nearby, swung his Jakobs sniper rifle down off his back, and took up position, peering through the scope. His fellows gave him infinite grief for using the rickety old rifle, calling it low-tech junk, complaining it took him forever to chamber another round, but he would always point out that Tediore didn't have sniper rifles, and he had never once had to fire more than one shot. Why change what worked?

Inside the well-furnished lab was an older man who looked vaguely familiar standing before a testing chamber that had two objects within it which appeared to be shields. Energy crackled off both, one a sharp yellow, the other an angry orange, and the discharges bounced between each other, intermingling in bright, hot light. The man studying them rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then flicked a switch, causing the energy play to die out. Xavier watched as he removed his goggles and glanced back over his shoulder, calling out to someone.

The sniper didn't turn his gaze away from his target—he was damn good with a rifle, but it was still a pain to swing the scope around and readjust his view, no matter what those action Echo shows would have one believe. Therefore, he was taken completely off-guard when a blonde haired man he was very well acquainted with stepped into view.

Xavier liked to think he had been around the block enough times that very little surprised him. He had faced down genetic monstrosities, silenced vocal defectors, eliminated heads of state, and even gotten Amelia angry at him.

Only once, though.

Yet none of those experiences prepared him for the shock of seeing that blond haired, blue eyed man.

 _"Alexander,"_ the sniper hissed angrily, fury beyond rage freezing his blood. Surprisingly, his hands didn't shake as he readjusted his grip on the rifle, his breathing slowing as he unintentionally fell into that meditative trance that he only felt before taking a shot. There was no further thought in Xavier's mind about the Vault Key, or Amelia, or their whole goal in being in Opportunity. All he knew was icy hatred.

His finger curled around the trigger of his sniper rifle.

Meanwhile, inside the lab, Michael glanced at Alexander.

"Well, the tests with the Salamander and Lightningbug are all successful. Looks like their compatibility is now 100%. They've passed all the prerequisite safety protocols and are ready for mass production. The only thing we're missing is the ok from our director."

"She'll be back soon enough," Alexander replied, waving a soothing hand.

"Aren't you a little concerned Ms. Tirrell has been gone this long?" the older man asked.

"I'd be more concerned if she was back," was the laughed retorted. "Nadie and Handsome Jack are known for going incommunicado for up to a week at a time and then coming back in good spirits. So the longer they stay out, the better off we are."

Michael chuckled dryly.

"I now see what he meant about plenty of exercise." He opened the testing chamber and retrieved the two shields. "I suppose that leaves us with the option of starting a new project," the former S&S CEO murmured.

"Nadie had started work on a schematic for a PDD she was tentatively calling the 'Cobra'," Alexander offered helpfully. "If we can uncover it, we could start hammering out the details."

Michael looked up at him and then both men turned simultaneously to gaze at the director's desk. The surface was covered with designs, sketches, reports, half-constructed prototypes, and who knew what else. Michael shifted his gaze back to the other man and lifted one hand, fist clenched. Alexander groaned.

"No..." he whined. "I always lose to you."

"Then do you want to give up and go get it?" Michael replied with a thin smile. "I'm pretty sure you won't lose more than one finger."

"No," the gun designer sighed and held up his own hand.

Before either of them could throw rock, paper, or scissors, a metallic call of, "Minion!" came from the elevator. Both men paused and looked up to see a bright yellow claptrap unit come out into the lab, holding a box over his head.

"Oh good," Michael muttered.

"Claptrap, what are you doing here?" Alexander inquired, turning to face the small robot. "You know if Handsome Jack sees you, you're going to be scrap metal."

"Mistress Gertrude told me to bring you these, Handsome Jack or no!" Claptrap responded, quickly rolling up to him.

"Mistress?" Michael repeated in amusement. Alexander flashed him a grin.

"You haven't met my wife." The blonde haired man glanced back at the claptrap unit and his look of mirth faded.

"Oh, Claptrap, watch out for that step—"

Before the robot could halt his forward momentum, he hit the ledge of the step up into the lab and toppled forward, the box falling out of his hands. Alexander dove to catch it before it could hit the ground.

That was when the crack of a sniper rifle shot went off, smashing through the reinforced glass and lodging in the opposing wall. It would have passed straight through Alexander's skull had the gun designer not abruptly lunged forward. Screams erupted in the lab as the technicians scattered, dropping to the ground. Sirens began screeching and the blast shields on the windows rapidly started descending. Michael flinched and ducked behind one of the drafting boards, but Alexander straightened sharply and peered out the window in the direction the shot had come from. He knew the sound of that caliber and knew he had approximately three seconds to pinpoint the sniper. He spotted a flicker of metal in the afternoon sunlight and his eyes went wide.

"Xavier?!" the blonde haired man sputtered in shock. A second shot sounded, but the bullet lodged in the blast shield as it slammed down with a loud boom. The gun designer swore roundly and outside the lab, Xavier was already in motion, dropping out of his spot to the city streets below. If he knew Alexander, he had only a few moments to disappear before all hell broke loose. His chastised himself inwardly—he knew better. Snipers were never supposed to let their emotions affect them when behind that scope.

Inside the lab, Alexander dropped his wife's box on a nearby table and started for the door.

"Where are you going?" Michael demanded.

"If that was who I thought it was, we're all in a lot of trouble, and Handsome Jack is going to need all the firepower he can get!" Alexander shouted back as he dashed into the elevator and began the descent toward the armories and the Vault Key.

Dodging citizens of Opportunity who seemed slightly bemused at his hurry, Xavier reached up and tapped his Echo.

"I'm on my way to you, Amelia. Everything is about to go to hell."

"It already has," she responded immediately, and there was a tightness to her voice he didn't like.

Xavier ran faster.


	20. Chapter 19

It was rare that Amelia did things quietly—much as she had a background of scientific study, she had never been the type to meekly hide behind the lab doors. From an early age she had been hungry for attention and recognition; she was top of her classes year after year, she excelled beyond even her mentor's expectations, and she had personally engineered the alteration to her pheromones that had swayed so many to her cause. It was one of her favorite weapons in her arsenal—there was never a need to threaten someone at gunpoint or bribe them to do her bidding. All she had to do was be in close proximity to her target and let them breathe near her for a short while. It was only the strongest willed or most disciplined who could deny her anything after that point.

None of which made up the people surrounding her currently. Half a dozen individuals followed in her wake now, employees of Hyperion who had tried to question her, or stop her progress, or who had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Many of them were still asking questions of her and then their fellows when she didn't answer, but their confusion was not enough to break them free of the unnatural obedience that possessed them.

Amelia had come to be a diversion with a few plans in mind: stay in open areas with easy access to multiple exit points, avoid security as much as possible (which she knew would be unavoidable given the ruckus she was causing), and be prepared to change tactics the moment their situation went pear-shaped.

No plan survived first contact with the enemy, after all.

The representative had been heading toward the R&D department before she received Connor's admonition. It was an easy target to make a commotion in where people would be quick to respond, and with an ability to demand to see whatever work had been done on the gun project, she had a semi-legitimate reason to be there. Honestly, she had been rather enjoying ruffling the feathers of the Hyperion mooks she ran into until she was notified that her priorities had changed.

"Ma'am, I'm afraid you can't go in there," the slightly overweight, balding man before her informed her flatly. Introducing himself as Rueben Philmore, he had been the first lackey she had found who had shown even half a spine. On a normal day, that would have only painted a proverbial target on his chest, but today, his attempt at control over the situation allowed her the opportunity to alter her course without drawing any suspicion.

Well, any more than she had already engendered, anyway.

"Goodness, are all you Hyperion types so pigheaded?" the violet eyed woman demanded sternly, putting her hands on her hips. "I am responsible for this project as much as anyone. I should be allowed to observe what construction has been done," she continued, knowing full well her order would be denied. Mr. Philmore did not disappoint.

"Without a higher security clearance or Handsome Jack himself, you don't go in or out of the doors one way or another," he retorted.

Amelia sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes.

"So, if I somehow get in, I can't come out? Honestly, do you listen to yourself when you speak? Never mind," she snapped and turned on her heel. "I'll just go get your superior involved. Would one of you lovely people direct me to Handsome Jack's office, please?"

"I will!" a young lady volunteered quickly, almost tripping over her feet in her haste to step forward. That was one thing that had always perplexed Amelia—something in her alteration of her pheromones had caused them to have a stronger effect on women then on men. She certainly wasn't upset or displeased with the unexpected outcome; it had just always been a bit of a puzzle to her in how it had ended up that way.

"Thank you, my dear," the representative purred, causing the young woman to blush in delight.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Mr. Philmore began from behind her, "but, ah, you wouldn't happen to be related to Ms. Nadalie Tirrell, would you? The similarity in your appearance in uncanny."

Amelia froze and slowly turned slowly to regard the man coldly, causing him to flinch back a step, but whatever she would have said was cut off by a soft crack somewhere in the distance like a small explosion or gunshot. Both Tediore representative and Hyperion employee peered around curiously, trying to identify the sound's origin, and the small crowd following Amelia murmured in concern. A second shot sounded and Rueben frowned, looking toward one of his subordinates.

"Yes, sir," the other man stated immediately without his boss having opened his mouth. A siren began going off the moment he ceased speaking, the distance muffling its demanding cry. There was an unsure mutter and an exchange of querying looks from the Hyperion employees around her, but the low volume of the alarm didn't pull their attention from the scene before them in a significant way.

Before anyone else could respond to the abrupt change of their environment, an angry growl of, "Causing a bit of a commotion, Stepmother?" echoed down the nearby hall. The green haired woman shifted her gaze to watch Francisco and Juan stalk toward her rapidly.

"I'm on my way to you, Amelia," Xavier's voice suddenly said in her ear. "Everything's about to go to hell."

"It already has," she replied tightly and crossed her arms as she watched the stepchildren that should have died in the Atlas biofacility approach her. She really needed to have a talk with Xavier about his thoroughness.

"Have you been enjoying your time on Pandora?" she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.

"Oh, it's been a blast," Juan replied dryly. "Exploring forgotten locations, getting to know the local populace, nearly being eaten by the wildlife…"

"I hear that happens here," Amelia retorted, her lips curling into something vaguely resembling a smile. Others might have likened it to an unpleasant grimace.

"And sometimes it happens when it shouldn't," Francisco snarled, stepping forward aggressively. The people surrounding her shuffled uncomfortably, the open hostility striking a primal chord in the multitude, but Amelia waved a soothing hand at them almost distractedly.

"I imagine it is more likely to occur when inquisitive minds are interfering in endeavors beyond their kin," the violet eyed woman stated with a simple shrug. Her offhanded dismissal of the attempt on their lives made Francisco hiss angrily, clenching his fists.

"You tried to kill us!" the young man snapped, starting to step forward. Juan caught his arm quickly and stopped his brother's forward momentum, but the younger Tediore continued on in a fury, "You tried to kill us just like you killed our mother!"

That caused Amelia to blink in surprise. She had always known the Tediore children had never been fond of her presence, but she had always assumed it was because she had come into the family dynamic just like the stereotypical evil stepmother. Very shortly after make the acquaintance of CEO Tomás Martin Tediore, the company owner's wife passed away, leaving a grieving widower who had little drive to participate in the daily activities of his company. Amelia took the opportunity to step in and offer the broken man some deeply needed companionship both for her own personal benefit, but also—not that anyone on Pandora would believe it—because she honestly felt sorry for Tomás. He had loved his wife deeply and her loss nearly destroyed him. She knew no one would accept or be grateful for it, but Amelia was positive her intervention had kept the company's reputation and profits safe. She had no doubt the company would have survived the lapse in leadership—one of the children would have stepped in when the company obviously began to suffer—but none of them were prepared for running a multi-galactic company and who knew how many of Tediore's projects might have fallen apart without the proper attention.

"You won't like hearing this, but I did not kill your mother," Amelia informed the boys flatly.

"You're lying," Francisco spat. Amelia sighed irritably.

"I am not. Your mother was already very sick before I met your father. Her passing was inevitable. Don't get me wrong, I might have had a hand in it if the situation was different, but I can assure you that if your mother's death was anything other than natural, it was not on account of my actions."

"You can't expect us to believe you," Juan said tightly, his knuckles on Francisco's arm starting to go white as he tightened his grip.

"I don't care if you believe me," the green haired woman retorted coldly. "You can think I killed her all you like. You can consider me the devil or worse. Your opinions are not going to stop me from doing what needs to be done. Believe it or not, I'm fond of you. Not many struggle against me for this long. However, I'm afraid these petty rebellions are getting a tad old—there is some truth to the old adage that children should be seen and not heard. Now, kindly get out of my way before I'm forced to do something—"

Francisco didn't let her finish. He snapped a hand up, a Tediore pistol digitizing in his hand, and went to pull the trigger. As he did, a chair slammed into him from the side, causing the young man to stumble and the shot to go wild. Someone in the crowd screamed in pain and panic ensued.

"You were almost too late," Amelia chided sharply as she dodged back and Xavier dove in under a swing from Juan aimed at the violet eyed woman.

"You know me," Xavier grunted as he caught the older Tediore's follow-up punch. "I like to make an entrance."

"That seems to be a trait all three of you share. I need you to—"

"Already on it," Xavier cut in and he snatched a grenade off his belt, flicking his wrist to toss it directly at the older Tediore. Juan swore and dodged back, colliding with his brother accidentally as he attempted to avoid the danger, and the grenade sailed passed him like a baseball, hit the opposing wall, and bounced back forward again.

Already in a panic about the discharge of a firearm so close to them, shrieks of fear erupted as the bystanders around them began scattering in every direction they could away from the combatants.

"Xavier!" Amelia called as she ducked in and out around the fleeing Hyperion employees, using them as a shield to keep distance between her and the Tediore brothers.

"I've got it!" he shouted in reply as he dodged back, snatched a datapad from a nearby desk, and threw it at the grenade so it would detonate. The resulting explosion engulfed the hallway with white hot fire, but the radius of the blast was fairly minimal. It was still enough to force Juan and Francisco back down one of the adjoining hallways, much to their displeasure if the profanities that came from the other side of the blast were any indication.

"We have this," Connor informed his superior as he suddenly passed by her toward the commotion. He paused only long enough to stuff the Key and biometric glove into her hands.

"Stay safe!" she ordered them before turning and disappearing into the halls after the fleeing employees.

With the layout of Opportunity, it did not take long before the representative found herself in a quieter quarter of the city. She was no longer interested in drawing unnecessary attention to herself, so she kept to emptier streets and hallways, avoiding contact with most of the people in the city. Her pace was quick but not overtly hurried, for there was an invisibility in looking like one belonged where one was at a given moment.

Handsome Jack's egotism made the general location of his office easily discernible—it was clearly housed in the tallest building, a monument of architecture that spoke of money and a dramatic flair. Amelia, for a moment, almost regretted having to prematurely end their working relations; she had no doubt he would have been a delightful rival and challenging adversary and could have provided years of potential entertainment, but the unfurling events of the last few days had proven that he was just too dangerous to her current goals.

There was plenty of activity at the tower, and the green haired woman quickly swept up her locks and tucked them into her scarf before sliding in behind a well-dressed young man who was obviously in a hurry. The moment she saw the elevators, she veered off from trailing him and tapped the button to summon one. Once safely hidden behind the reflective metal doors, she entered the command to take her to the top floor on a hunch, and then drew forth the Key to study thoughtfully. The readout on the back of the glove indicated she was on the right path, and the item she desired was very nearby.

By the time the elevator came to a stop, she had tucked the Key and glove away and she stepped out into the room revealed by the opening doors. Her assumption had been dead-on; the opulence of the waiting room beyond could only be the entryway to the president's office. The secretary's desk sprawled across half the room and boasted a variety of such high-end equipment that it would have made a million dollar company's CEO jealous. On the back counter was a diverse set of nail polishes that looked like they saw somewhat frequent use, but at the time Amelia walked into the room, the young lady behind the desk was intently typing at her computer, pausing every once in a while to make notes on a sizable book next to her. When the elevator doors opened, she looked up and smiled brightly.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Tediore, it is a pleasant surprise to see you. I'm afraid he's not receiving visitors at the moment—"

"I'm not to be dissuaded, Penny," Amelia cut in immediately, rapidly crossing the distance between them. "Your commanding officer has some questions to answer, and I know he'll have some for me."

The secretary quickly scrambled to her feet and intercepted the representative, holding her hands up as if the gesture would somehow stop her.

"I have no doubt he does, ma'am," Penny assuaged as Amelia drew up to her, "but he made a specific request—"

"Whatever he's paying you, it isn't worth your life," the violet eyed woman interrupted softly, fixing the secretary with an even look. "I've had a very long day. I'm tired, I'm hungry, and I hurt. I try very hard to only hold those deserving responsible for their actions, but my grip on my temper is not particularly good. Get out of my way, Penny. I promise, you will not live long enough to regret your mistake for long if you do not."

The young woman hesitated; much as she was the stereotypical pleasant face of the office, she had faced down more than her share of angry customers, and she had always done it with aplomb. However, something about the representative's demeanor put her on edge and made even her trained knees feel wobbly.

"I'll... I'll just let him know you're coming," Penny finally mumbled in defeat, her defiance subsiding as she back away from the representative.

"Don't bother," Amelia replied curtly. "I'll let him know myself."

The representative stalked toward the doors to Handsome Jack's office and slammed them open, intending to make a theatrical production of her entrance, but all her efforts were cut shut when she was met by a gunshot. The man she was fairly certain wasn't Handsome Jack stood toward the back of the office, a heavy revolver in hand, and it kicked up as he fired. Amelia cursed as the bullet smashed into her left shoulder, penetrating the muscle.

"You worthless cast off from a ships whore!" the violet eyed woman spat as a Tediore pistol digitized in her hand. She returned fire on the doppelganger who dove behind the high-backed chair at the president's desk.

"And here I was trying to refrain from letting this become a firefight!" she continued angrily.

"Says the woman who's killed how many people?" Greg demanded, privately thanking his boss for having a chair that could be used as a shield.

"As far as this endeavor is concerned, I've only killed one," she snapped. "But I am genuinely thinking that number is going to be two shortly!" She tossed her pistol to the side of the chair so that it sailed passed it and detonated on the far side. The doppelganger swore and dashed away from it, leaving the protective barricade as he attempted to avoid the explosion. While he struggled to get his feet under him once more, Amelia summoned a copy of her firearm and pulled the trigger once, repaying the favor and embedding a bullet in his right shoulder. He yowled in pain and dropped his gun, clutching at his wound with an angry hiss.

"I was really hoping it wouldn't come to this," she began conversationally as he slowly moved back from her. She paused and then her lips curled into a thin smile.

"My goodness, that is a cliché line. I need to be more careful about that. But it is true."

"Oh yeah? You were hoping it wasn't going to come to you sneaking underneath Hyperion's nose and stealing something rightfully theirs?" Greg growled, slowing to a halt when she took careful aim at his head.

"Sweetie, I take exception to the words 'rightfully theirs.' That, I believe, is open to debate." She stretched her left arm out slowly, wincing as she felt pins and needles run rough the healing muscle. The bullet let out a lonely clink as it hit the ground, pushed out of her body. The doppelganger watched it fall and a worried expression passed across his face.

"Why can't I ever hang out with normal people?" he muttered rhetorically. Amelia glanced at the skin of her shoulder as it smoothed out, erasing all evidence of the wound, and laughed.

"Goodness, if this isn't normal, you are _way_ out of your depth, little man. Now, take a seat, lookalike, and no more heroics from you."

"That way you can kill me, too?" he demanded as he sank down into the chair behind Handsome Jack's desk.

"I'm heavily considering it," she acknowledged. With full mobility returned to her left arm, she drew forth the glove and studied the readout. After a moment's pause, the representative crossed to the side of the office where a shelving unit sat against the wall. A multitude of odds and ends were lined up neatly—a Hyperion pistol, an old Dahl contraption, a woman's hat, some odd crystal formation... He even had the Atlas deed in a frame hung on the wall. Amelia snorted.

"He does like to flirt with danger. That is dangerously accessible to the wrong hands."

"Are you going to take it?" Greg asked suspiciously.

"Mm, tempting, but no. There will be plenty of time to claim it legally when we find our Vault," she replied. Her eyes fell on a small apparatus tucked toward the back of the shelf.

"Ah, there you are," the representative purred. She picked up the item. It had a cylindrical base and two golden protrusions of metal that looked somewhat like wings curling up and inward. Within those sheltering arms was a blue sphere that rotated gently.

" _That's_ what you're looking for?" the doppelganger demanded incredulously. "All this crap has been over that tiny thing?"

Amelia gave a half laugh.

"It does look a little underwhelming, doesn't it? Or, perhaps, like something that belongs on a treasure hunter's staff and used to locate a forgotten tomb. But it is what I need. Now." She turned back on Greg and took aim at him again.

"Hey, hold on!" he protested.

"Can't hang around much longer, I'm afraid, dear," she responded easily. "I know security is on its way and I'd rather not tangle with them. There's been enough conflict today."

"If there's been enough conflict, why are you going to kill me?" the masked man questioned testily, his anger a cover for the fear settling into his stomach.

"You're wearing the face of a man I really don't care for," she retorted. "It's petty, I know, but some days you just have to indulge in a little vengeance to make yourself feel better."

She brought her sights up to his head and he scrambled out the chair with a curse.

"Oh, come on!" he howled.

"Don't run, you'll—" she began, but paused when something glittery fell out of the doppelganger's pocket as he put distance between them. Not usually one to be distracted, a flash of red off a crimson stone caught her attention.

"Well, what is this?" she asked, leaning down quickly to pick up the necklace. As the pendant pulled the chain taught to hang from her fingers, she felt her heart stop and her breath catch. The sight of the sweeping spiral of silver around its ruby stone immediately brought dozens of memories to the forefront of her mind.

"How… did you get _this_?" Amelia growled, her voice tight. More than the gun, the barely-restrained violence in her tone caused Greg to freeze in his tracks.

"Ah…"

 _"Where?!"_ She swiftly dropped the muzzle of the Tediore pistol and fired once, piercing his right thigh with the shot. Greg yowled and stumbled.

"Nadie's dad gave it to us!" he sputtered, an expression of agony twisting his features. Amelia looked at the necklace once more and then she brought it up close to her chest.

"He kept it," she murmured tenderly, barely louder than a whisper, hope and longing in her voice. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked at the doppelganger.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "This is the best news I've had all day. I shall repay the kindness."

She fired once more, this time a shot into his left thigh, and Greg toppled over with a snarl of painful protest.

"Be a good boy and stay out of this," Amelia ordered. "We're even now. Next time, I will take your life."


	21. Chapter 20

…"Be a good boy and stay out of this," Amelia ordered. "We're even now. Next time, I will take your life."

The representative spun on her heel and swept out of the room at a rapid pace, pausing only once to fire at Penny. The secretary yelped and dodged behind her desk, though Amelia's shot had only been vaguely in her direction in an effort to force the young lady to seek cover. The green haired woman hadn't been sure if Penny would greet her reemergence from Handsome Jack's office the same way the lookalike had welcomed her in, but she wasn't eager to find out. Even if she was capable of regenerating from bullet wounds, the pain wasn't pleasant.

Meanwhile, Greg dragged himself to Handsome Jack's desk, muttering profanities at every motion, and scavenged through the drawers until he found an Anshin healing syringe. As the medicine did its job, he reached up and tapped his Echo.

"I hope you're almost here, because she is on her way out."

Amelia turned down a hallway quickly as she heard hurried voices coming up toward her. Given the terse commands that were being shot back and forth, she was fairly certain it was the security team responding to the call for help. It was a token to Handsome Jack's misplaced sense of invulnerability that he kept his security team so far from him; it severely enhanced the delay in response time.

That, or they were an incredibly slow security team. Wouldn't be the first time she had run across that, of course. As a company grew glutted with profits, the employees tended to become more lax. She had torn apart and rebuilt several of the departments in Tediore's structure when she had come on board just to shake out some of the stagnation that had settled in.

The violet eyed woman came to an abrupt halt when she found herself staring at an attractive blonde haired man holding a strange artifact with deep purple veins that glowed lowly. Her eyes widened.

"That's the Vault Key, isn't it?" she questioned, her curiosity overwhelming her need for haste.

"...Nadie?" he asked hesitantly, a similarly shocked expression on his face. Before she could respond, his features smoothed out into an oddly blank countenance.

"Ah, no. You must be the woman who gave birth to her."

Amelia frowned, something about his voice and stance putting her on edge.

"I am her mother, yes," she retorted a bit testily.

"Mm. I've met her mother. You may have brought her into this world, but you aren't her mother."

"You've got a lot of nerve—" she began angrily, but he cut in.

"Look, I imagine you're in a hurry to get passed me," he stated calmly, his tone the definition of reasonable. "And I have pressing business passed you. So, are we going to duke it out in the hall like barbarians? Or can we agree to swap places and never speak of this interaction again?"

"You're suggesting—" Amelia started to reply, but Alexander let out a short breath.

"Too long."

He was suddenly a blur of movement, closing the distance in the blink of an eye, and by the time the representative had extended her arm and taken aim with the Tediore pistol that reappeared in her hand once more, the hallway was empty.

"Lovely chat," came his voice from behind her. "I'll look forward to our next meeting, Nadie's progenitor!"

Alexander had enough time to blow her a kiss before she spun and fired on him. He disappeared down an adjoining hall with a light laugh, the Vault Key still under his arm.

"Who the hell was that?" the representative demanded irritably, not expecting an answer. A yell went up from down the hallway she had just come from and she scowled.

"Way to go, Amelia," she grumbled to herself. "You are letting your temper get the best of you."

She turned and hurried away from the calls behind her and tapped her Echo.

"Connor, what's the fastest way out of Opportunity?"

"Given our separation and the fact they will be sealing any less obvious exits, the front door, ironically," the assassin responded almost immediately. She tapped her Echo again, adding all her subordinates to the call.

"Everyone, meet at Opportunity's front gates. We're breaking out." She cut off the connection before anyone could reply further.

Meanwhile, Alexander scampered toward Handsome Jack's office passed the armed men who were checking on Penny's health and well-being. One of them turned sharply on him, but the secretary grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Don't! He's with us."

"Nice to see you, Penny dear," Alexander greeted distractedly as he quickly headed into the office. The moment he saw the CEO, he thrust the Vault Key out toward him.

"Here, sir!"

"At least someone's thinking," the masked man growled. He closed the distance with Alexander, limping a little, and took the Key, hesitating only a moment. As it floated above one of his palms, he reached into his jacket pocket and drew forth the sliver of metal that Nadie had given him. The doppelganger stared at it for a moment, struggling with what to do with it—Nadie hadn't instructed him on its use. However, as soon as the passkey came near the Eridian artifact, it floated out of his fingers on its own power and slipped inside the Key. The veins of the artifact flashed bright purple once and it began to rotate faster. Greg gave a mirthless grin.

"All right. Let's show this bitch who she's messing with."

/

/

It was never easy, Amelia reflected. She could be as thorough as possible, she could try and plan for every option, she could come as equipped as was feasible, and still something went wrong. It was why adaptability was a trait she demanded in every subordinate.

It was also a trait of her own that she tried very hard to keep active and exercised.

Leaving Opportunity wasn't fun—they had ruffled enough feathers and set off enough alarms that the city had whipped itself into a frenzy of curiosity and activity. On the one hand, it made it much easier to slip from one street to the next, which would serve her subordinates well, but with her own unique appearance, even with her hair tucked up, people were quick to spot her. Luckily, most of the individuals who pointed her out were unarmed and dissuaded by a bullet shot in their direction, but it was only a matter of time before she was forced to tangle with security.

Amelia had wanted to avoid inciting things to a firefight, but the rakk hive had been stirred to full wakefulness. She focused on moving quickly—the fight with the beasts of Pandora on their way to Opportunity had exhausted a lot of the team's resources, and the longer they remained in the city, the more likely capture loomed. She slipped through the clutches of two security teams, one by overloading a hallway's lockdown doors and shutting them out, the other by bringing down a gauche Hyperion neon sign on their heads.

It was a lot louder of an exit than she would have liked, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

Amelia reconvened with Xavier and Connor in the outside courtyard that served as the entryway for the city. Both men had tucked themselves in an out of the way corner to keep out of sight, but the moment they spotted the representative, they rapidly approached her.

"We have to go," Xavier said immediately.

"Did you collect the item?" Connor asked, looking her over intently.

"Yes," the violet eyed woman replied distractedly. "Where is Zoe?" She swiftly studied the courtyard around them. It had been emptied of all Hyperion employees and visitors, presumably the people of the city having tucked themselves away from whatever danger threatened, and Amelia saw no indication of the secretary. For the moment, all that was in the courtyard was the trio, the garden, and a bronze statue of the now former CEO of Hyperion.

"We haven't seen her," Xavier answered. "She's not picking up our calls."

"We can't leave without her," the representative stated firmly, turning back toward the city. Connor reached out and caught her arm.

"No, Amelia," he stated simply. "We need to go."

"I'm not leaving her here," she growled, spinning back on him.

"We don't have time," the chameleon continued, unfazed by the bridling representative. "She knew the risk. You knew the risk. We can bargain for her when we complete our task."

"They'll kill her!" she snapped. "Zoe won't give them a choice!"

"No," Connor retorted. "She will behave as long as she knows we can retrieve her. She may even find her way out on her own. We need to go."

Amelia bristled, but a low rumbled voice interrupted her before she could protest further.

"I hear you're causing some trouble, Mrs. Tediore."

The trio looked up sharply to see a lone man stalk slowly toward them up the wide bridge that led into the Highlands. Xavier swore to himself, silently wondering how they could have missed the footfalls of such a big man, and Connor's grip on Amelia's arm tightened; the representative, however, gave no indication she noticed. Her attention was all for the scarred face of her ex-husband.

"Lawson," she breathed in shock.

"We really need to go," Xavier said urgently. The former spouses didn't look away from each other to respond to the sniper's words.

Suddenly, a roar reverberated the air and like a rising tide, the Warrior lifted up over the buildings, wings spread wide, flames flickering between its teeth.

"Holy hell, where the fuck was _that_ hiding?!" Xavier cursed.

"Now we _have_ to go," the chameleon stated tightly, even his normally neutral voice cracking. He yanked Amelia's arm, tugging her close to him, watching the dusty sheriff before them for any sign of hostility. When Lawson didn't move, he all but bodily dragged her passed him. The sheriff didn't so much as twitch, but his one good blue eye followed their progress until they had passed outside his peripheral vision. He didn't move even as the Warrior roared again and lunged after the trio, sweeping passed over the sheriff's head.

"Where the heck are you?" came the scrub's voice over his Echo. "Are you here yet? Did you see her?"

"Nope," Lawson grunted once.

"Shit," Greg sighed. "I'll meet you in Opportunity Square."

"Got it."

The sheriff fell silent and turned to watch the Warrior take to the hunt as it entered the Highlands. He wasn't sure how Amelia was going to outpace it or hide from it, but he knew she'd manage somehow. Nothing slowed her for long when she put her mind to something, not even an eons old bioweapon. He had, in fact, only seen one thing that could stop her.

"I'm too old for this," he grumbled and began making his way into Opportunity.

/

/

"Holy crap!" Nadie cursed, backing up a step as she and Jack watched the Atlas facility rise up from under the ground, thrusting the buildings of Old Haven high into the air. Unbeknownst to the myriad of individuals who had been in possession of the mining town, an Atlas laboratory had resided just beneath their feet, hidden from all but those aware of its existence.

"Woah!" the president laughed. "Look at _that_! An Atlas facility, untouched by bandits and still fully stocked? Sweet!"

The Siren looked over at him and smiled at his enthusiasm.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Are you kidding? This is the most fun I've had in years. Jimmy is right—hanging around in Opportunity is stifling."

"You aren't a man who responds well to idleness," she chuckled.

"Says the woman who starts fidgeting and pulling apart machinery if left to her own devises long enough," he retorted with a smirk. "Let's go in and take a look."

The walkway into the Atlas facility was wide, designed to allow platoons of soldiers to pass in and out with ease, which matched the militant mindset of the company who had designed it. When they reached the other end, it opened up into a large chamber that was not shy in announcing its ownership by the company formerly the flagship in weapons research. In the very center of the antechamber was a huge statue of a man, kneeled over and balancing a planet on his back.

"What the hell happened here?" the Siren breathed in shock, looking over the floor space. Dozens of bodies dressed in the armor of the Crimson Lance were strewn about the room, splotches of dried blood spattered over the walls and floor. Spent bullet shells littered the ground, evidence of the violent battle that had led to their demise, and sections of the room's architecture boasted missing chunks of masonry as if hit by something with great force.

"Hnh," Jack grunted. "Athena happened here."

"Athena?" Nadie glanced over at him. "Who is that?"

"A Vault Hunter I had some prior dealings with," the president replied. "She's a highly trained assassin with a serious grudge against all things Atlas."

"Why?"

"They hired her to kill her own sister."

"I'm sorry, what the hell?" the green haired woman sputtered.

"You heard me," he assured her, making his way through the room carefully. "She didn't find out until after the fact. Since then, she's made it a personal goal to destroy everything even vaguely associated with Atlas."

"Do we need to be concerned?" Nadie looked over the destruction of the room as Jack walked carefully to a nearby computer terminal.

"Possibly," he replied over his shoulder. "She and I didn't part on the best of terms. If she's still around—and I have no information to establish her presence on Pandora one way or another—she could potentially pose a threat. On the other hand, if we can buy her loyalty, we'd win ourselves a very dangerous adversary against your mother and her crew."

"She's that good?"

"Top of the line. I've met very few women more dangerous than her. She's competent, deadly, and quick on her feet. Plus, once bought, she stays utterly loyal to the cause. She'll stay bought even if offered more money. You don't get that out of mercenaries offered."

"Hm," Nadie murmured noncommittally. Her gaze stayed on the destruction of the room as she heard Jack's fingers fly over the keyboard.

"Well, this is it," the masked man observed in triumph. "This building is the heart and soul of the Gortys Project. Looks like those keys your mother helped herself to are required to initiate the project, which means she'll definitely be on her way here soon."

"So, what is this all about?" The Siren looked up at her lover. "'You said this had to do with a Vault, but I know you have more details than that."

Jack straightened and turned back to her.

"Remember when I said our techs had found indications there was a Vault somewhere?"

Nadie pursed her lips thoughtfully and then shook her head.

"Nope, I don't remember that."

"Babe!" he protested woundedly. The Siren quickly made a soothing gesture.

"A lot has happened in the past few days. I remember that you were looking for a Vault. I just don't remember the exact details of what you've already told me."

He sighed.

"Well, at the time, that was all the detail I had, so I guess it's not surprising you don't remember that. As it turns out, Atlas was aware of this Vault years ago and began the process of creating a Key for it."

"So the one you have wouldn't work to open it?"

"We don't know," he replied. "It possibly would, if we had access to the Vault. But therein lies the rub—the Vault entrance is mobile. It moves from one location to another, presumably across the six galaxies."

"It does what?" She blinked at him in surprise. "How does it do that?"

The president shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine. No one's really gotten to study it, so no one has any idea how it moves, why, or even where. Atlas discovered its existence several years ago and roughed out an expected reappearance date of the entrance on Pandora."

"Which, let me guess, will conveniently happen in three days or some such."

Jack grinned.

"Not even sort of. It's not expected for another two thousand years."

"Oh." The Siren frowned. "Well, that's not acceptable."

"Agreed, and Atlas thought so as well. The Gortys Project was their answer to that problem—an artificially created Key that would not only open the Vault, but also summon it."

"And that is what my mother is after," Nadie summed up.

"And that is what _we_ are after," the CEO responded. "I have no doubt that by now she had the last piece of the upgrade and is on her way here. Given the hostility of this planet and its native wildlife, not to mention the orders levied by one Madam Heart of Pandora—"

"Please don't call me that," the Siren interrupted.

"—we should have some time to prepare for her arrival," he continued without acknowledging Nadie's request.

"How do you want to do this? We're going to be outnumbered and outgunned."

Jack looked back at the computer terminal thoughtfully.

"Atlas must have some security systems built into this place. There's no way they'd leave their primary lab unguarded."

"Whatever systems they have didn't seem to help these poor fools," the green haired woman observed idly, gesturing at the Crimson Lance corpses around them.

"Athena is something else," Jack replied with a thin chuckle as he began accessing various programs. After a moment, he snorted.

"Good news, bad news. Good news is they do have security programs; quite a few, in fact. Bad news, a fair number of them have been permanently disabled by brute force."

"She's something else?" Nadie repeated with a wry smile.

"Actually, not all of this is Athena's handiwork. Quite a few of the systems look like they were used and then consequently destroyed at almost random instance. Seems like this place has its own bloody history. But good news is sensors are still alive and well, though offline currently, and there's a whole bunch of these guys just hanging around." He glanced up and gestured to a large viewing window that looked out over a huge spherical room. At first, she could see nothing in it other than a plinth in the center of the chamber, but suddenly a trio of jet propelled robots flew up into sight and hovered near the opposite side of the glass. They were slightly conical in shape and had one glowing eye, but even with the distance between them, Nadie could see the weaponry built into them.

"That's all well and good," she began dryly, "but they are on the other side of the glass."

"Psh, that's fixable," he retorted, waving a dismissive hand. "Besides, we haven't explored the rest of the lab. There may be some access passage somewhere."

The Siren walked over to the barrier and studied it and the robots behind it curiously. Over her time working for Hyperion, she had become familiar with the loaders the company made ample use of for both manual labor and defense, and while she didn't work much with them in her field, she felt fairly comfortable appraising the Atlas constructs.

"They're a little rudimentary, but they certainly appear sturdy," she observed.

"Aside from being outdated, they're decent machines," Jack agreed, walking over to her. He peered at them and grinned.

"If any of them survive the upcoming fight, maybe we'll take one or two back to the lab."

"The robotics department would love that," she chuckled. She tapped the glass experimentally, listening to the sound it made at the impact.

"Reinforced, but not overly so. With that outfit of weaponry, they shouldn't have too much trouble getting through the glass if it comes to that."

"Fantastic. Let's go take a peek at the rest of the facility," the masked man suggested.

"Sounds like a plan. I'd like to know what this stupidly large chamber is for," Nadie responded, studying the room behind the glass barricade.

"Atlas is very fond of their needlessly large rooms," Jack replied. The Siren glanced back at him with a smile.

"Says the man whose office is about… what? 800 square feet?"

"That is appropriately large, not needlessly," he retorted simply. "It's all about the presentation, sweet cheeks."


	22. Chapter 21

While Nadie laughed, the CEO arbitrarily decided to go explore the leftmost hallway. His Siren quickly followed after him, drawing abreast of him so she could walk at his side. They explored largely in silence, studying the walls for any markings of interest, occasionally veering off to take a peek down adjoining passages.

"This place is boring," Nadie huffed, frowning when she found a third storage closet filled with random odds and ends. "At least Hyperion decorates their hallway walls with its logo. These walls are all the same awful, solid color."

"I know a designer has failed at their job when _you're_ complaining about it being boring," Jack snorted. The green haired woman peered at him suspiciously.

"Are you insinuating I like things dull?"

He grinned. "No, I'm insinuating that appearances tend to not impact your opinion of things often. Therefore, if you notice something is dull, it must be _really_ bad."

"Oh, I'll have to make an effort to tour the other departments in Opportunity and complain about their architecture, then. That way, they'll all get shut down for renovations and the R&D department can get ahead," she chortled, rubbing her hands together maliciously. The president tried to frown at her, but a smirk was winning out.

"Babe..."

"Yes, yes. Don't let the department rivalry impact the company's profits. I know the mantra," she sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"If you keep letting those biases get the best of you, I may have to pull you from the department," he warned sternly, but a grin curled his lips. Nadie gasped in horror.

"Ack! What would I do if I didn't get to design guns?"

"Have you seen the piles of paperwork I get every day?" he teased. She let out an unhappy squeak.

"No! I don't want to do your paperwork! I'll be good, I promise!"

He laughed and they shared a smile, but his faded after a moment. He reached out and caught her hand, bringing it up to kiss her knuckles.

"Nadie, you hanging in there ok?"

A series of expressions went across her face at the simple question—amusement, then concern, then frustration, before finally settling on worry.

"I'm scared," she admitted softly, like saying the words was some great sin. He immediately stepped up to her and slid his arms around her.

"I am, too," he replied, kissing her forehead. "It's awesome being out in the field again, but it's also harrowing. We've got no backup right now if things go wrong."

"Things already went wrong," she retorted, and he heard how tight her voice was. "I lost you."

"I am here now..."

"That isn't the point, and you know it. I was so _angry_. When I lost you, I didn't care about anything other than making that bitch pay. Nothing else mattered to me but hurting her. I've always known my temper was short, but the rage I felt... I'm sick just remembering it. I don't know what I might have done while possessed by that anger. What terrible acts I might have committed."

"I know the feeling," he said soothingly. When she glanced up at him, he gave her a half smirk that had no humor in it.

"I have spaced an entire wing of my accounting department when they've given me bad news," he continued. The Siren's expression flickered.

"You—wow." She struggled with a response for a moment and then sighed, smiling thinly.

"Looks like we both need to work on our tempers."

"Especially with these on the way." Jack's hand settled over her belly, the warmth of his palm seeping through her clothing. Nadie watched a dark look cross his face, his mind clearly in memories of the past.

"Hey," she murmured, gripping his arm comfortingly. "We'll figure it out. We'll make it through ok, Jack."

"You know, I'm more afraid of this than anything else," he said quietly. "Angel... I lost her. I don't know when, but it was long before she—" He cut himself off, closing his eyes, an expression of naked pain on his face.

"It'll be different this time," the Siren told him. He let out a half laugh that didn't sound very amused.

"There's no way you can promise that."

"You're right," she replied, tilting her head into his vision so she could meet his gaze. "But I can promise that I'm not going to run, I'm not going to abandon you when the going gets tough. I can promise you that when you're angry, I'll ask why and I'll be honest when I tell you if it's a stupid or good reason. I can promise you that whenever you need to be patched together, I'll do my best to heal you, with my power or with my affection. I can promise you that whenever you need an ass kicked, I'll be there with brass knuckles on."

Her words didn't shake the darkness which had fallen over him, but she did manage to get a strained chuckle from him.

"You don't need brass knuckles. I've seen you bend metal with your bare hands."

"I've also punched rocks with my bare hands, and let me tell you, it sucks. I'll use a tool for its intended purpose, thank you."

It was pale, but he smiled and leaned down to place his forehead against hers. For a minute they stood together, taking solace in the presence of the other, before he straightened abruptly.

"All right, enough of that nonsense. We have an Atlas facility to finish exploring and we have to figure out how to make a Key once we have the relevant parts."

"And I'm sure it's not going to be as easy as 'insert this, push button, receive Key,'" Nadie added.

"Nothing else has been simple. Why would this?" Jack retorted as he turned to continue down the hall. The Siren quickly stepped after him and the two began their explorations in companionable silence once more. When they reached a pair of closed sliding doors set into the right wall, a surface that hadn't previously been broken by any fixture, they paused.

"Shall we open door number one?" the CEO asked rhetorically.

"Technically that's door number six," Nadie chirped brightly. Jack gave her a dry look over his shoulder and she grinned at him.

"That's enough out of you, Ms. Pedantic," he muttered and tapped a button on a panel in the wall. The doors slid apart smoothly, revealing the enormous spherical room they had seen behind glass in the front chamber. The trio of robots that Jack had activated hovered near the ceiling, rotating slowly as if waiting for orders. Directly in front of the pair on the other side of the doors was a small pedestal with a console of some kind facing them. It was blank aside from a recess in its surface, as if waiting for an oddly shaped item to be placed within.

"What is that for?" the green haired woman asked curiously. Jack brushed his hand across the recess.

"The base for the construction of the Key was two pieces that lock together. This is the shape of one half of it." He leaned around the console and looked over the chamber. In the center was a large platform with machinery on it, and passed that against the other wall was an identical console and closed sliding doors.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and assume the other half to the base goes over there," he continued, gesturing across the way. Nadie glanced over and frowned thoughtfully.

"That must be down the other hallway in the main room."

"Likely," Jack agreed. "Which means when we get the base back, someone will have to take the other half over there and put it in its spot."

"Wait. 'Someone'?" The Siren peered at him suspiciously. "I seem to remember that the base pieces react badly to anyone other than you touching it."

"Yeah, built in security system to keep it from being handled by the wrong people. Really neat way to keep it safe, actually."

"So, someone—"

"You," he interrupted bluntly.

"—is going to have to run down the hall and put it in its place while it is... shocking them? Or burning? Whatever nasty effect it has?" she continued. He nodded seriously.

"Yes."

"Are you kidding me?!" she sputtered. "Why am I being volunteered?"

He smirked and stared pointedly at her Siren markings. She scowled.

"Just because I heal doesn't mean I don't feel pain..."

"Look, sweet cheeks, if we're lucky, we'll snatch that nice little biometric glove from jackass Disappears-a-Lot, but I'm just planning for the worst. I highly doubt that its effects will do you serious damage."

"Says the man who hasn't felt it himself," Nadie grumbled. "Why can't you just put one piece in and then walk down yourself and put the other one in? Sure, it'll take five more minutes, but..."

He shook his head. "No can do, babe. They've got to be placed simultaneously."

The Siren gave him a flat look.

"Ok, you don't actually know that." Her disgruntled tone made him laugh.

"Ok, I don't actually know that," he agreed, "but I have a very strong suspicion that it's the case."

She sighed. "All right, I'll bite. Why do you think that?"

"You know how every Echo show that has some weapon of mass destruction going off there are two keys or two people with the required codes? It's to keep one person from arbitrarily setting them off or, in this case, stealing an object that will summon an eons old Vault without the proper individuals in the know. It's an old security precaution, but we still use it because it's effective. Pretty much every high end project or security system that I've ever seen requires a two-person activation."

Nadie snorted. "I've not seen a single Hyperion system that requires _you_ to have someone else give an authorization code to."

"That's because I haven't had to blow Opportunity," he responded with a chuckle.

"What?!" she demanded, eyes going wide.

"What, on a planet infested with bandits, you don't think I wouldn't have installed a plan B? I'd never give those assholes my city."

"There's a self-destruct function in Opportunity?"

"Relax, babe, Jimmy has the other half of the code."

"I'm not sure that makes me feel better," she mumbled unhappily. He laughed.

"Would it make you feel better if I gave you the other half?"

"No... Yes... No..." She huffed while he grinned.

"Don't panic, Nadie. I'm not going to destroy Opportunity on a whim. All my stuff is there—I'd like it to remain in one piece. Now." He turned back to peer at the central platform. "I'd like to know what's going on over there."

"Well, unless you can fly, I don't think we're going to get a closer look," the Siren observed dryly. Jack glanced back at her and then studied the distance.

"You could jump that, right?"

"I'm not going to try," she stated firmly. The president decided it wasn't worth the effort to try and convince her to take the risk.

"Well, fine, then I guess that's the end of what we can learn from this room for the moment. Shall we?" He gestured back out into the hall. She followed his indication and then turned to him as the doors to the spherical chamber slid shut behind them.

"Ok, what now?"

"At this point, our best plan is for me to go back to the front hall and see what security systems I can get going. I want you to finish looking around, make sure we didn't miss anything—or anyone. Check down the other hall, see if there's anything else stashed away of interest."

"Got it, I'm on reconnaissance. I'm pretty sure I can handle that."

He grinned. "If you get in trouble, just scream. I'll come running."

"Oh sweetie," she purred, drawing close. "If there's screaming, it won't be me."

The president chuckled throatily and leaned down to kiss her.

"That's fine. I wouldn't want anyone but me to make you scream."

"You're incorrigible," she laughed, tipping her head up to kiss him again. One of his arms slid around her and tucked her up against his chest. Her fingers immediately began tugging at his jacket, pulling it off shoulders.

"Mm… and here I thought you'd chastise me and tell me we don't have time," he murmured, his free hand slipping up beneath her shirt.

"We came straight here while my mother had to go to Opportunity, get in, retrieve the upgrade, and then make it here," Nadie retorted. "I think we've got a little bit of time."

"No need to convince me, sweet cheeks. I know better than to argue with that look," he replied and brushed his lips across hers.

/

/

Greg rubbed his eyes wearily. He was seated at Handsome Jack's desk after having met Nadie's father at the courtyard and then brought him up to the CEO's office so that they could wait for the arrival of the Tediore brothers. In the scurry to deal with Amelia and her companions, the group had scattered through Opportunity to handle the conflicts that arose, and now that it was clear the Anshin crew was no longer in the city, it was time to regroup and plan their next course of action.

"That chair doesn't suit you," Lawson observed dryly.

"You're telling me," Greg replied morosely. "I would love to give up the hot seat. This is not what I signed up for."

There was a soft chime at the office's door and Penny stuck her head in.

"Do you gentlemen need anything? Tea? Water? Something harder?" she asked, lifting her voice so that it would carry across the room's sprawling floorplan.

The doppelganger sighed. "No, thank you, Penny. Just send the Tediore brothers in when they get here."

"You got it, sir!" she replied brightly and hesitated for a moment at the door before stepping back out of sight. The doors slid shut smoothly.

"She's attentive," the sheriff stated. Greg couldn't tell if it was a compliment or condemnation.

"I think she might have a thing for men in Stetsons," the doppelganger retorted. "She's never been this accommodating."

Lawson only snorted once in answer. An awkward silence fell for a long while until the large man broke it.

"Where is my daughter?" His voice was neutral, but Greg instantly knew it was imperative he answer carefully.

"Last I saw her, she was physically whole and—well, to be honest, she was healing. We had just had a run-in with your ex—ah, with Amelia," he amended hastily when he saw Lawson's one good eye twitch. "It didn't look like she would suffer any long term physical harm."

"Oddly specific wording."

The body double had never met someone who could be so intimidating without moving, changing tones, or using threats before. He never wanted to meet another person like it again.

"She had just had a fight with a woman she never wanted to see again. I can't begin to speak to her mental health," Greg protested. The sheriff's eye narrowed, but he withheld any further questions when the office's doors slid open and the brothers Tediore entered.

"Please tell us you have good news," Juan said by way of greeting.

"I have fantastic news," the doppelganger retorted. "My company's stocks are up, the audit of the Accounting Department was completed with no incidents of note, and I've managed to get all my steps in for the day."

"We meant—" Francisco began, but Greg rolled his eyes irritably.

"I knew what you meant. No, I don't have any good news for you. She got what she was looking for."

The younger Tediore hissed and Juan gritted his teeth.

"You let her take it?"

"A bullet through each leg didn't afford me much in the ways of opportunity to chase after her," Greg snapped.

"Where is she heading?" Lawson cut in before the argument could heat up. The doppelganger frowned and reached up to tap his Echo.

"Rhys, got any news for me?"

"Bad and good," the young man replied quickly. "Bad news is we've lost our trace on her as has the Warrior, it seems. Good news is, I'm pretty sure there's no question where they're going. Take a look at this."

An alert of an incoming message flashed on Handsome Jack's computer screen. Greg opened it and his eyes widened.

"What the hell is that?"

"So… turns out there was an Atlas facility hidden under Old Haven. Pretty clever, actually."

The doppelganger stared at it thoughtfully, tapping his chin.

"Well, gentlemen, looks like we've got a destination."

Busy studying the image of Old Haven, Greg didn't notice when Francisco stepped away quietly, speaking a few tense words softly into his Echo.

/

/

/

(Author's Note: Hi, everyone! I'm sorry to say, I am actually now up to the point where I am actively writing! This means that, while I'm going to do my best, I may no longer be able to keep up with the bi-weekly posts. I will be doing my best to keep up, but it all depends on real life events. So, long story short, if you haven't hit the "follow" or "favorite" button to get those nice emails that tell you when there's been activity on the story, you _maaaaay_ want to do that… See you next post!)


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